Workers at Norway's Melkøya gas facility have reported disturbing health problems. They experienced breathing difficulties, nosebleeds, memory loss, and vomiting yellow foam. Some described their houses loosening from foundations and collapsing in chunks.
The mysterious gas incidents occurred at Equinor's liquefied natural gas plant near Hammerfest. The facility receives gas from three underwater reservoirs and converts it to liquid form for transport.
Equinor has completed its investigation into the health incidents. The company now points to four large blue gas tanks near the construction site as the likely source. Most affected workers were stationed in this area.
Christina Dreetz, Equinor's director for onshore facilities, acknowledged the company should have acted sooner. "We must recognize that we should have gone more in depth to map the causes when the first exposure cases occurred at Melkøya last summer," she said in a statement.
When asked if this represented self-criticism for not doing more last year, Dreetz responded directly: "Yes, we can say that straight out."
The first gas incidents happened last summer, but investigations only began after media coverage nearly a year later. Both Equinor and government authorities launched separate probes.
The blue tanks primarily contain monoethylene glycol, similar to automotive antifreeze. Equinor pumps this substance into gas pipelines to prevent freezing. The system recycles the fluid, but it becomes contaminated during use and requires cleaning between cycles.
Nitrogen serves as a protective layer above the antifreeze to prevent fire and explosion risks from vapor. While nitrogen itself isn't toxic, it can cause suffocation by displacing oxygen.
The investigation found that small residues of gases extracted from the seabed might contain compounds that caused the health issues. Valves on the blue tanks periodically opened to relieve pressure.
After initial incidents, Equinor began evacuating areas when tanks needed opening. But during several later gas events, workers remained in the area when tanks accidentally opened.
The investigation report notes significant challenges. "The composition of vented gas varies greatly from one time to another," it states. Investigators couldn't identify a specific gas that made employees sick but believe odor and health complaints likely resulted from a combination of gases from the tanks.
Equinor maintains that workers probably won't experience long-term health effects. The company suggests persistent symptoms reported by the latest group likely don't stem from exposure at Melkøya.
The Melkøya facility is undergoing massive expansion to connect to the power grid. Currently, the plant runs on an onsite gas power plant that causes substantial pollution.
This expansion faces political controversy and maintains a fragile majority in Norway's parliament. The project highlights ongoing tensions between Norway's energy industry and environmental concerns.
Norway's workplace safety regulations require immediate investigation of industrial health incidents. The delayed response at Melkøya raises questions about enforcement and corporate accountability in the country's crucial energy sector.
International readers should note that Norway maintains strict workplace safety standards, but this case shows how implementation can vary even in highly regulated environments. The situation at Melkøya demonstrates the complex balancing act between industrial production, worker safety, and environmental considerations that characterizes Nordic energy policy.