Fire at Tjeldbergodden methanol plant extinguished

Dec. 2, 2020
Equinor ASA is investigating a fire that broke out on Dec. 2 in a compressor house of its 900,000-tonnes/year methanol plant at its Tjeldbergodden industrial complex in Nordmøre, Norway.

Equinor ASA is investigating a fire that broke out on Dec. 2 in a compressor house of its 900,000-tonnes/year methanol plant at its Tjeldbergodden industrial complex in Nordmøre, Norway.

Upon discovery of a fire, which was reported at 2:40 p.m. local time, emergency services—including Equinor’s on-site team, police, fire, and health services—were dispatched, personnel were evacuated, and the fire ultimately extinguished by 3:40 p.m., Equinor said.

The fire, which occurred during a shutdown of the complex’s methanol and air-separation plants, did not result in any injuries.

Equinor said it is currently investigating the cause of the fire, as well as working to get an overview of potential damages resulting form the incident.

Owned by Equinor (82.01%) and partner ConocoPhillips Scandinavia AS (17.99%), the Tjeldbergodden methanol plant accounts for about 25% of total European methanol production.