(Bloomberg) -- BP Plc abandoned a plan to restart operations at its biggest refinery in Europe this week after workers at the plant started strike action. 

“The planned restart has been put on hold and operations at the refinery remain shut down,” the company said in emailed response to questions. It regrets the decision to proceed with industrial action and remains in talks with the unions, it said.

Earlier: Employees Start Strike at BP’s Biggest European Oil Refinery

In addition to the labor dispute, BP is also working to resolve a fault at the plant, which prompted it to cease fuel-making operations last week. That issue could take more than a week to resolve, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The halt of BP Rotterdam takes about 400,000 barrels a day of crude-processing capacity out of operation in Europe. Only Shell Plc’s Pernis plant, also located in Europe’s oil-trading hub, is near to that size.

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