Dozens of employees on the Hammerfest LNG export terminal on the Norwegian island of Melkoya received ailing from publicity to vented gasoline from tanks storing monoethylene glycol (MEG) through the one yr to summer season 2025, a probe by operator Equinor ASA has revealed.
“We should acknowledge that we must always have gone extra in-depth to establish the causes when the primary incidents of publicity occurred at Melkoya final summer season”, Christina Dreetz, Equinor senior vp for onshore vegetation, stated in a web based assertion by the bulk state-owned firm.
“By means of measures applied each throughout and after the investigation, we now have routines that allow us to handle threat extra successfully”.
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The assertion reported, “Throughout a interval of excessive exercise at Hammerfest LNG, from summer season 2024 to summer season 2025, 37 individuals sought medical consideration on 4 completely different events and 9 individuals had been absent from work following the publicity incidents. Some skilled well being points resembling complications, nausea and dizziness, whereas others seen nothing.
“Reactions to vented gasoline and the related odor is a reason behind the assorted well being points skilled by personnel, however it’s unlikely that the publicity has led to long-term well being points”.
Equinor’s investigation “factors to inadequate threat evaluation earlier than the mission start-up and follow-up as the rationale why a number of incidents occurred through the one-year interval”, the assertion stated.
Equinor discovered that venting from the tanks housing MEG, a chemical used to forestall hydrate formation in pipelines from the Snohvit discipline to the liquefaction facility, had been the principle reason behind the publicity incidents. The tanks are designed in order that vented gasoline consists of nitrogen and water vapor, in keeping with Equinor.
“Adjustments within the properly stream within the MEG tanks or temperature fluctuations have contributed to modifications within the composition of the vented gasoline. This has resulted in odors and, in some instances, discomfort or sickness when venting has occurred similtaneously wind has introduced the vented gasoline right down to floor degree”, the assertion stated.
“Venture actions in space L201 and adjoining areas have led to extra individuals being current in areas the place there was beforehand no exercise. Common sampling of vented gasoline was not carried out, and the measures applied after the primary publicity incident weren’t enough to forestall recurrence.
“Subsequently, a number of kinds of measurements have been carried out to map the gasoline composition and publicity threat within the space”.
Dreetz stated, “The outcomes present that almost all measurements have typically been low. Measurements of benzene and different risky natural compounds have been sporadic and short-lived”.
Moreover, “lack of possession, communication and follow-up of measures between the Snohvit Future mission and the operations group at Hammerfest LNG contributed to the publicity threat not being managed properly sufficient”, Equinor stated.
It stated, “The measures initiated have had the specified impact. This contains the set up of a short lived filtration resolution, improved monitoring, mapping and sampling of vented gasoline from the MEG tanks, in addition to measurement routines at floor degree”.
“As well as, introduction packages and directions for everybody working on the facility have been up to date to strengthen the shared security and reporting tradition, and a neighborhood well being workplace has been established at Melkoya”, Equinor stated.
It stated it will ahead the probe’s outcomes to the Norwegian Ocean Trade Authority, which is conducting its personal investigation.
Hammerfest LNG, which began operations 2007, has an annual LNG manufacturing of 4.6 million metric tons, in keeping with Equinor.
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