Equinor Tightens Safety After Mongstad Chemical Exposure Probe

By Charles Kennedy - Mar 26, 2026

Equinor has completed its internal investigation into a chemical exposure incident at its Mongstad refinery in Norway, identifying multiple safety and risk management failures and introducing corrective measures to prevent recurrence.

The incident, which occurred on October 29, 2025, involved personnel exposure to benzene during maintenance work on a measuring instrument. While initially expected to last 30 minutes, the task extended to more than five hours without a reassessment of risk, resulting in prolonged exposure. Two workers reported discomfort, with one requiring a short absence from work.

The investigation points to a combination of operational, procedural, and organizational shortcomings. Workers operated in an environment with elevated benzene levels while using respiratory protection deemed inadequate for prolonged exposure. At the same time, heightened activity levels during the refinery’s restart phase following maintenance contributed to time pressure and insufficient planning.

Critically, no updated risk assessment was conducted when the job deviated significantly from its original scope and duration. Additional gaps included poor preparation of the assigned team, unclear planning, and the handling of naphtha—known to emit benzene—in open containers without proper protective equipment.

In response, Equinor has introduced a series of measures aimed at strengthening chemical safety and operational oversight at Mongstad. These include:

• Replacing naphtha with glycol in measuring instruments to eliminate benzene emissions
• Increasing availability and compliance with respiratory protection
• Enhancing training on benzene exposure and gas detection
• Assigning a dedicated safety engineer to improve oversight of the chemical work environment

The company has also emphasized stricter adherence to its updated respiratory protection protocols introduced in February 2025.

The incident has been reported to Norway’s Ocean Industry Authority, which has launched its own investigation and referred the case to police authorities. The regulator has intensified scrutiny across the sector in recent years as awareness of benzene exposure risks has grown, prompting tighter exposure limits and stricter compliance requirements.

Mongstad is one of Europe’s largest oil refineries and a critical asset in Equinor’s downstream portfolio. The findings highlight ongoing challenges in managing safety during high-intensity operational phases such as post-maintenance ramp-ups—a known risk period across the refining industry.

Equinor’s investigation underscores how operational pressure, inadequate risk reassessment, and gaps in protective measures combined to expose workers to hazardous chemicals, prompting the company to overhaul safety protocols at one of its key refining hubs.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com