Doris Leblond
OGJ Correspondent
PARIS, Sept. 29 -- Shell France by yearend 2009 will shut down its France research unit at the Petit-Couronne refinery, which it sold to the Swiss group Petroplus in April. It was the smallest unit of Royal Dutch Shell PLC's Global Solution network of technological centers, spokesman Marc Specque told OGJ.
With special expertise in lube oils, bitumen, and refining, its activity was closely linked to the refinery. These activities will be transferred to units in Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands, which will serve the French market's needs.
Shell has 15 months to decide on the fate of the 82 workers at the center, said the spokesman. This could involve transferring them to other Shell research centers or finding jobs for them in other Shell areas or at other companies.
Petit-Couronne refinery Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Laurent Pelsez told OGJ that Petroplus had no research centers, and would not retain the Shell unit on his site.
