Too Early To Speculate on ExxonMobil Refinery Fire Cause

It is currently too early to speculate on the cause of a fire at the ExxonMobil Fawley refinery, according to an ExxonMobil spokesperson.

“The fire was extinguished quickly and ExxonMobil Fawley continues to meet its customer commitments,” the spokesperson told Rigzone.

“It is currently too early to speculate on the cause,” the spokesperson added.

Earlier this week, a statement on ExxonMobil Fawley’s official Twitter page highlighted that the company was dealing with an incident on one of its units and outlined that this was being managed by its emergency response team.

In an update from the company on the same day, ExxonMobil revealed that it had experienced an isolated fire on one of its units at Fawley. The statement noted that on-site emergency teams, with assistance from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, moved quickly and safely contained the incident.

“There have been no injuries and all personnel are accounted for. As a result we are currently having to use our flares. Please be assured that the use of our flares is completely safe and controlled,” ExxonMobil said in the update.

In a second update, ExxonMobil confirmed that the fire had been safely contained and that nobody was injured.

“Our own specialist teams responded quickly and, with the help of Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, safely addressed the situation,” ExxonMobil said in the update.

The ExxonMobil Fawley Refinery and Petrochemical Complex operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week to produce fuels and chemical products essential to modern society, ExxonMobil’s website states.

Opened in 1951, ExxonMobil Fawley is located on the western shore of Southampton water and covers 3,250 acres. It is the largest UK refinery, according to ExxonMobil’s site, which notes that around 1,900 ships deliver crude to its marine terminal where Fawley manufactures a wide range of products including approximately one fifth of the UK’s transportation fuel needs.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com