The Hammerfest natural gas liquefaction plant, operated by Equinor and with a capacity of 4.3 million tons per year located in northern Norway, was evacuated last Tuesday after a gas leak was detected. This facility, the largest of its kind in Europe, was on hold due to scheduled maintenance, so production was not affected by the incident.
What was the cause of the gas leak?
At the time of the incident, more than 50 people were present at the complex. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as a result of the gas leak . An Equinor representative informed the Upstream portal that it was identified and repaired and that production was expected to resume today .
An investigation is currently underway to clarify the causes of the leak at this crucial facility, which contributes 5% of Norway’s total gas exports. Although the repair has been completed, the plant’s operation remained suspended until today. This was notified by Equinor through a statement on Tuesday evening.
Initially, the cause of the suspension was attributed to a gas turbine failure , but this was later corrected to process-related problems.
About the Hammerfest LNG plant
The Hammerfest LNG plant is located on the island of Melkoya, Norway and processes natural gas from Equinor ‘s mature Snohvit field, which is transported via a 143 km pipeline from the Barents Sea. Hammerfest LNG partners include Equinor as operator, TotalEnergies, Petoro and Wintershall Dea.
The recurrence of incidents such as the Hammerfest LNG plant leak highlights the need to implement more effective detection and response systems in the gas industry . Adopting advanced technologies and enhanced safety protocols would not only protect workers and facilities, but also minimize the environmental impact of such incidents, ensuring a safer and more sustainable operation in the long term.
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Source: upstreamonline.com
Photo: shutterstock
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