andMr. L. Burke asked the Minister for Energy if the Whitegate oil refinery were asked to quote for the refining of the Iraqi oil purchased by the National Petroleum Company.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Refining of Iraqi Oil.
24.
I am informed that the Irish Refining Company Ltd., a consortium of BP, Esso, Shell and Texaco, which operates the Whitegate refinery does not itself quote for refining contracts because all operating time at the refinery is allocated between the four participants in the refining company in proportion to their shareholding. I understand that at the particular time the refining contract for this crude was on offer there were consultations with the refining company and with shareholding companies but that, for a variety of reasons, it did not prove feasible to arrange for refining of the crude at Whitegate.