**Orlen Unipetrol’s Litvínov Refinery and Petrochemical Operations Remain Offline Amidst Ongoing Challenges**
In a significant incident that highlights the complexities and priorities within the oil and gas industry, Orlen Unipetrol’s integrated refining and petrochemical complex in Litvínov, Czech Republic, remains offline due to ongoing challenges. These challenges stem from the discovery of an unexploded aerial World War II bomb during excavation work at the Chempark Záluží petrochemical complex, which necessitated a comprehensive shutdown of all production and energy units at the Litvínov refinery.
**The Discovery and Shutdown**
The critical discovery occurred on August 21, 2024, when excavation work uncovered a 230 kg World War II bomb in a remote part of the Chempark Záluží complex. This bomb, with approximately 100 kg of explosives and a long-term chemical time igniter using acetone for delayed detonation, posed a significant risk to the site’s operations and the surrounding environment. In response, Orlen Unipetrol immediately initiated a safe shutdown of all production activities at the Litvínov refinery, effectively halting operations since August 22, 2024.
**Contingency Measures and Repairs**
Following the bomb’s discovery, Orlen Unipetrol declared force majeure on product supply from the integrated complex, citing the bomb as an “extraordinary, unforeseen, and insurmountable obstacle” that made it impossible to perform contractual obligations with business partners. The Czech Republic police and fire and rescue services collaborated to neutralize the bomb in a controlled detonation process on August 30, 2024. This operation, while successful, required extensive safety measures across the chemical site and temporary restrictions on surrounding infrastructure and areas.
**Post-Detonation Inspections and Restart Efforts**
After the controlled disposal of the bomb, Czech authorities conducted thorough inspections of the pyrotechnics explosion site