On February 2, ExxonMobil announced the completion of the shutdown of its Mossmorran Fife ethylene plant in Scotland, approximately one quarter ahead of the original schedule. This move marks the company's complete exit from ethylene production in Europe and represents the latest case in the wave of petrochemical plant closures across the region. ExxonMobil first disclosed its shutdown plan in November 2025, with an initial target of ceasing operations in the third quarter of 2026.

The plant’s core cracking unit had an annual ethylene production capacity of 830,000 metric tons, making it a significant piece of chemical infrastructure in the UK. Capacity was shared equally with Shell on a 50/50 basis, with Shell supplying the ethane feedstock. The early shutdown is expected to reshape the UK’s ethylene supply landscape, intensify capacity contraction in Europe, and affect approximately 430 jobs along with six apprenticeship programs.

Market analysis indicates that the closure resulted from multiple pressures: the facility, nearly 40 years old, faced severe aging, insufficient scale, and weak competitiveness. High energy costs in Europe, tightening carbon reduction policies, and market supply-demand imbalances have long weighed on the plant’s profitability. Against the backdrop of the global energy transition, Europe’s petrochemical sector is undergoing systemic capacity reduction.

ExxonMobil stated that the decision is part of its global asset optimization strategy. In recent years, the company has been steadily scaling back non-core operations in Europe, having already shut down a cracking unit in France in 2024. Going forward, it will focus on core markets in North America and the Middle East while advancing its low-carbon transition.

Since April 2024, seven cracking units in Europe have been shut down, with a combined capacity of approximately 4.5 million metric tons, reflecting ongoing structural adjustments within the industry.