BP to sell Ruhr region refineries to Klesch Group

BP is selling its three Ruhr region sites – the Gelsenkirchen-Scholven refinery, the Gelsenkirchen-Horst refinery and a tank depot in Bottrop – to the international refining group Klesch Group (USA/UK). Around 1,800 employees are to transfer to the new owner upon the change of ownership; completion is planned for the second half of 2026. The purchase price was not disclosed. BP justifies the sale with the sites' lack of competitiveness. Existing fuel supply agreements secure regional supply. Klesch already operates the Heide refinery (acquired from Shell in 2010). Gelsenkirchen's mayor Andrea Henze (SPD) is calling for a long-term outlook for the site and the workforce.