**Orlen Unipetrol’s Litvínov Refinery and Petrochemical Operations Remain Offline Amid Safety Concerns**
In a sudden and unprecedented move, Orlen Unipetrol AS has suspended all processing and production activities at its integrated refining and petrochemical complex in Litvínov, Czech Republic, following the discovery of an unexploded aerial World War II bomb. The bomb, unearthed on August 21 during excavation work in a remote part of the Chempark Záluží petrochemical complex, has necessitated an immediate, safe shutdown of all production and energy units at the Litvínov refinery.
**Impact on Operations**
The suspension of refining activities has resulted in a lack of feedstock availability for the site’s integrated petrochemical operations. In response, Orlen Unipetrol has initiated a controlled shutdown of the Chempark Záluží ethylene plant’s 544,000-tonne/year (tpy) steam cracker and reduced operations at the site’s polymerization and other downstream units. The company has also declared force majeure on product supply from the integrated complex, citing the bomb’s discovery as an “extraordinary, unforeseen, and insurmountable obstacle” that makes it impossible to perform contractual obligations.
**Deactivation Process**
Unipetrol is currently cooperating with the Czech Republic police and fire rescue services to prepare areas for the bomb’s controlled deactivation, which is scheduled to occur on August 30. Following the safe removal of the bomb, the site will undergo thorough inspections by police, fire services, and internal teams. These inspections will ensure that the entire area is safe before recommissioning of the operations can begin.
**Restart Timeline Uncertain**
Orlen Unipetrol has not revealed an anticipated timeframe for when operations at the petrochemicals portion of the complex will fully cease. However, the company expects to resume operations