Fawley Refinery Major Maintenance Shutdown Scheduled for September–December 2026
A major planned maintenance shutdown (turnaround) is scheduled at Fawley Refinery from September to December 2026, with contractors including Trant Engineering recruiting shutdown operatives and supervisors on fixed-term contracts. The roles involve roughly 60-hour weeks across day and night shifts, with subsistence offered to operatives willing to work away from home. Bilfinger is also recruiting Layher scaffolders at Fawley. This shutdown is expected to bring a significant temporary contractor workforce into the Southampton area for around four months.
ExxonMobil Completes Southampton to London Pipeline Upgrade
The upgraded Southampton to London Pipeline is now fully operational, increasing aviation fuel supply to major London airports including Heathrow. The upgrade supports transport of Sustainable Aviation Fuel, reduces road tanker movements and associated emissions, and strengthens UK domestic fuel distribution and energy security.
£300m Fawley Green Hydrogen Project Moves Towards Planning Application
Hynamics UK (an EDF Group subsidiary) and hydrogen investor Hy24 are developing the £300 million Fawley Green Hydrogen project on part of the former Fawley Power Station site. The scheme features a 120 MW electrolyser supplying lower-carbon hydrogen to the ExxonMobil Fawley complex, and has been shortlisted for the UK government's Hydrogen Allocation Round 2 (HAR2) support scheme. A public consultation ran from December 2025 with a community event in January 2026, and a planning application was expected in spring 2026. A final investment decision is anticipated in 2026, with hydrogen production targeted for 2029. The scheme could cut CO2 emissions by up to 100,000 tonnes a year and would create further construction and contractor demand in the area.
Catering Staff Take Strike Action Over Pay at Fawley Refinery
Catering workers employed by contracted outsourcer Compass Group at Fawley Refinery took strike action over pay in August 2025, in a dispute represented by Unite the Union. The action is a reminder that Fawley's site workforce spans far beyond construction — from engineering contractors to catering and facilities staff — all part of the wider contractor community the site depends on.
EnerMech Details Role Recovering Schedule on Fawley FAST Project
EnerMech published a case study on its work on the FAST project at Fawley, outlining how it led critical electrical and instrumentation scopes and supported recovery of the project schedule and quality standards, alongside pre-commissioning and commissioning activities on the diesel hydrotreater and hydrogen plant.
Taylor Woodrow Secures £800m Fawley Refinery Expansion Contract
Taylor Woodrow has been awarded the £800 million construction contract for the FAST project at Fawley Refinery. The company will construct a new diesel hydrotreater unit and hydrogen plant, which will increase the refinery's ultra-low sulphur diesel production by 45%. The contract was won against a Costain-led consortium.
ExxonMobil Centralises UK Workforce at Fawley as Part of Transformation
ExxonMobil announced a UK business reorganisation involving around 250 role reductions by the end of 2026, while centralising the majority of its UK employees at the Fawley facility — reinforcing Fawley's position as the company's principal UK site. Separately, the closure of the Fife Ethylene Plant in Scotland gives around 50 employees the option to transfer to the Fawley Petrochemical Complex.
EnerMech Partners with KENT Energies for FAST Project at Fawley
EnerMech has been selected by KENT Energies as the integrated service contract supplier for ExxonMobil's new low-sulphur diesel facility at Fawley. EnerMech will deliver construction, pre-commissioning, commissioning, and start-up services for the diesel hydrotreater and new hydrogen plant.
KENT Energies Selected as Main EPC Contractor for Fawley FAST Project
KENT Energies has been appointed as the main EPC contractor for the FAST project at Fawley Refinery. The project aims to increase ultra-low sulphur diesel production by 38,000 barrels per day, reducing the UK's reliance on diesel imports by approximately a quarter.
Sarens Completes 1,250-Tonne Column Installation at Fawley Refinery
Heavy lifting and engineered transport specialist Sarens carried out the transport and installation of two major new columns weighing up to 1,250 tonnes each for the FAST project at Fawley Refinery, requiring a bespoke engineering solution to move and lift the vessels into position on the constrained refinery site.
ExxonMobil's £800m Fawley Diesel Expansion Nears Completion
ExxonMobil confirmed its roughly £800 million investment in a new diesel hydrotreater and expanded hydrogen production capacity at Fawley was on track for first diesel from the expanded, lower-sulphur facility in early 2025. The project was designed to lift the refinery's low-sulphur diesel output by around 40%, reducing the UK's reliance on imported diesel.
ExxonMobil Awarded UK Government Grant for Sustainable Aviation Fuel Study at Fawley
ExxonMobil received a £6 million UK government grant to fund a feasibility study into producing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) at Fawley Refinery, with a potential SAF production plant targeted for around 2030. The study adds a sustainability-focused strand to the site's ongoing FAST project investment.
Unite Secures Bonus Payment for Fawley Construction Contractor Workforce
Unite the Union announced it had negotiated a supplementary bonus payment covering all construction contractor workers on site at Fawley Refinery, following a period of industrial disputes over pay across the various contracting firms delivering the FAST project.
Altrad Services Secures Five-Year NDT & Integrity Contract at Fawley
Altrad Services UK has secured a five-year contract for non-destructive testing (NDT) and integrity services at Fawley Refinery, building on their existing multi-year access, insulation, and painting contract that began in 2020. The company maintains a workforce of over 200 staff at the Fawley site.
Fluor Awarded Engineering & Procurement for Fawley FAST Project
Fluor Corporation has been awarded the engineering, procurement, fabrication, and construction contract for the FAST project at ExxonMobil's Fawley Refinery. The scope includes the design and construction of a new diesel hydrotreater and a steam methane reforming hydrogen plant.
ExxonMobil Announces $1 Billion Investment in Fawley Refinery
ExxonMobil has announced a final investment decision for the Fawley FAST project — a $1 billion investment to increase ultra-low sulphur diesel production by nearly 45%. The project is expected to create approximately 1,000 construction jobs and will include a new hydrotreater unit and hydrogen plant.