Petrochemical complex

Description

We advised LyondellBasell on the cessation of activity of its petrochemical complex covering nearly 1,000 hectares, located on the shores of Berre-l’Etang, 30 km from Marseille in southern France. The site included a steam cracker and world-class polypropylene and polyethylene units as well as chemical units and logistics facilities such as port equipment, pipelines, storage and distribution terminals.

Scope of work

We advised LyondellBasell for many years on the dismantling and deconstruction of the Berre l'Étang refinery, and among our interventions, we provided legal advice on the mothballing and shutdown of the site, offered regulatory supervision of the cessation of activity until the restoration work was complete and drafted all contracts related to the operation including the demolition, resale of equipment and service provision for asbestos removal. We also supported the company on soil remediation and the sale of the land of the industrial site, in order to build several logistics platforms as part of the rehabilitation program.

What makes this project unique

Regarding the complexity, the size and the environmental condition of the site, this large-scale project raised complex environmental and real estate issues for which our team provided the appropriate legal solutions.

Meet the team

The team was led by our Paris office.