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The contamination that has been occurring at Equinor’s large onshore facilities in Mongstad is so severe that the Norwegian authorities have reported the company to the police. Equinor receives harsh criticism from the main political parties.
Illustration image of Mongstad on the outskirts of Bergen
Hommedal, Marit / NTB scanpix
The case is being updated …
“The Norwegian Environment Agency considers the situation in Mongstad to be very serious,” writes the Minister for Climate Protection and the Environment, Sveinung Rotevatn (V), in a recent letter to the Storting representative Lars Haltbrekken.
It also states that the Minister “is aware that the Norwegian Environment Agency has reported Equinor Mongstad to the police.”
The letter was first mentioned by Dagens Næringsliv.
Read the letter from the Minister of Climate Protection and the Environment here
The report comes after the environmental protection organization Bellona denounced the oil giant to police in November over conditions at the refinery and onshore installation.
Minister Rotevatn describes it as “a great oil contamination in the ground” and considers that what has happened in Monstad “is very serious”.
A prime minister makes it clear that he “expects Equinor to clean up all matters that are in conflict with pollution regulations.”
The police report from Norway’s largest company will apply to two specific matters, according to Rotevatn:
- “Acute pollution as a result of pipeline breaks last summer”
- “Land emissions from the Mongstad refinery business in December last year”
“They point out that there are several different violations of different parts of the Norwegian Environment Agency’s requirements, each of which is serious enough, and that together they give the impression that the company has not been aware of the regulations” continues the minister.
E24 has asked the Norwegian Environment Agency for comment on the review.
also read
Bellona denounces Equinor for serious environmental crime according to investigation report
– It probably took place over a very long period of time
E24 has contacted Equinor, who says they will comment on the review.
In November, the company completed an internal investigation report. The company then wrote that it was in early 2020 that they realized there was an inlet of oily water from the refinery to the ground and the safety basin.
– When the situation became known, Equinor immediately implemented measures to limit the consequences of the oil entry. Oil has already been collected from the ground around the safety basin. All sources of leaks that we have found have been rectified and the oil values of the water treatment plant have returned to normal levels, Irene Rummelhoff, director of marketing, processing and commerce, said in November.
According to the company, 112 cubic meters of oil have been collected and removed from the area.
“The investigation report shows that the oil inflow cannot be linked to a special incident, but is due to the inflows of the oily water drainage system, as well as various small historical discharges from routine operations and incidents. and maintenance, “Equinor wrote.
The Minister of Climate and Environmental Protection points out in his letter that the investigation group has “classified the incident as most serious.”
In addition, he notes that “since oil analysis shows a mixture of different components, this has probably taken place over a very long period of time.”
