Elevated flaring has begun at the Fife Ethylene Plant at Mossmorran as the complex gets back up and running following its recent shutdown.
ExxonMobil had pre-warned members of the public to expect increased flaring this weekend as part of the restart process, which comes months after the site ceased operations following the failure of two boilers.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) says it is monitoring air quality and noise at a number of locations around the site in response to ongoing concerns about the impact flaring has had on local communities, although there has been no breach of air quality standards as a result of the plant’s operations.
It is unclear how long the elevated flare will be used for, but plant operators ExxonMobil say they are hoping to keep it to a minimum.
Plant manager Jacob McAlister confirmed: “The use of our flare is safe and is required to complete the restart of our operations.
“We are continuing to work hard with the aim of reducing both flare size and duration.
“A safe re-start is our priority and we will keep you updated on progress throughout.”
An investigation by Sepa into unacceptable flaring from Fife Ethylene Plant in April last year is in its final stages.
We are continuing to work hard with the aim of reducing both flare size and duration.
Rob Morris, senior manager for compliance and beyond, said: “We’re clear that compliance with Scotland’s environmental rules is simply non-negotiable.
“That’s why we’re continuing our twin-track approach to ExxonMobil. In addition to continuing our monitoring across the responsible restart of the facility, we’re firmly focused on addressing the root causes of unacceptable flaring.
“Public partners have been working closely together regarding the restart.
“With regulatory, air quality and noise monitoring officers working to ensure a responsible and reliable restart, we’ll provide regular updates and publish monitoring information as quickly as possible on social media and sepa.org.uk/mossmorran.”
