Norway Regulator Warns Snohvit Operator

Equinor has been ordered to crack down on practices at its onshore Snohvit liquefaction unit in northern Norway, after almost one metric ton (mt) of LNG was leaked this summer.

The incident occurred June 17 2018 when a valve was left open after a road tanker had been filled with LNG at the plant. Norway's safety regulator PTIL decided to investigate it the next day.

In its December 13 statement, the regulator said that 0.996 mt of LNG leaked into the environment at an initial rate of 0.06 kilograms per second. It had only minor consequences but, under marginally different circumstances, the evaporating gas could have ignited causing third-degree burns to the truck driver within seconds.

PTIL identified two non-conformities with its rules: deficient knowledge about, and updating of, operating documentation and; design weaknesses in the system for preventing the overloading of trucks, and deficiencies in preventing/controlling ignition. Equinor as operator has until January 24 2019 to respond.

The banner photo of the Snohvit plant at Melkoya, near Hammerfest, is courtesy of Equinor.