A union representing French oil industry workers has called on the government to nationalise the Rouen refinery as the November 5 deadline for companies to bid for the complex, last owned by bankrupt Petroplus, draws closer.
The 160,000 barrel-a-day complex is currently operating under the supervision of Royal Dutch Shell after the government reached a short-term deal with the oil giant in which Shell agreed to take all of Petroplus’ leftover products.
The union has also said that it is willing to get behind two bids currently on the table from companies that have promised not to lay off any of the facility’s staff. The bids, from NetOil and Alafand Petroleum, were both rejected by a court without explanation, however.
“The only solution would be for the government to nationalise the refinery,†said Nicholas Vincent, a spokesperson for the  union, which represents 550 of the complex’s workers.