**Orlen Unipetrol’s Litvínov Refinery and Petrochemical Complex Remain Offline Due to WWII Bomb Discovery**
Orlen Unipetrol, a leading refining and petrochemical company in the Czech Republic, has announced that its integrated refining and petrochemical complex in Litvínov remains fully shut down following the discovery of an unexploded aerial World War II bomb.
The closure, which began on August 22, 2024, was initiated after the bomb was unearthed during excavation work on August 21 in a remote part of the Chempark Záluží petrochemical complex, co-located with the Litvínov refinery. To ensure safety, all production and energy units at Litvínov were immediately shut down. This suspension of refining activities has led to a lack of feedstock availability for the site’s integrated petrochemical operations.
To mitigate this situation, Orlen Unipetrol has initiated a controlled shutdown of the Chempark Záluží ethylene plant’s 544,000-tonne/year steam cracker and is reducing operations at the site’s polymerization and other downstream units. The company declared force majeure on product supply from the integrated complex, stating that the bomb’s discovery represents an “extraordinary, unforeseen, and insurmountable obstacle” that prevents it from fulfilling its contractual obligations.
## Timeline and Safety Measures
Ongoing communication between Orlen Unipetrol and Czech Republic authorities has led to a scheduled timeline for bomb disposal. On August 29, Czech police confirmed plans to proceed with the controlled detonation of the bomb on August 30 at 12:00 p.m. local time. Following the bomb’s disposal, Czech police and fire rescue services will conduct site inspections. Subsequently, Orlen Unipetrol will conduct its own thorough inspection of all production units and infrastructure before determining a restart timeline.
The company emphasized its commitment to employee safety and the need for comprehensive