Fuels Industry UK comment on diesel

Elizabeth de Jong, Chief Executive of Fuels Industry UK, said:

"The UK continues to need fuels - from transport to chemicals, agriculture and defence. The recent discussion in the US around diesel exports has shown once again that we cannot solely rely on overseas production for domestic energy security.

UK refineries provide critical national resilience, reducing the UK's dependence on international supply chains. But without urgent protection against carbon and investment leakage, more UK refineries will close. The Autumn Budget must include measures to level the playing field between UK refiners paying carbon costs that competitor countries do not face.”

Background statistics:

• Our latest annual statistics show that UK demand for petroleum products increased by 1% in 2025 to almost 61 million tonnes.
• The closure of the Grangemouth and Lindsey refineries in 2025 reduced UK refining capacity by almost a quarter.
• Petrol (29%) and diesel (24%) remain the most manufactured refined products in the UK.
• We are currently having to import about 55% of our road diesel, up from just 14% in 2003, meaning a growing dependence on overseas supply.
• The USA was the origin for 30% of UK imports of crude oil in 2025. We also imported 31% of our diesel from the US, our largest source.