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### Orlen Unipetrol’s Recently Restarted Litvínov Refinery Faces Flood Threat
In a dramatic turn of events, Orlen Unipetrol’s 5.4-million-tonne-per-year (tpy) integrated refining and petrochemical complex in Litvínov, Czech Republic, hasbarely resumed operations after a forced shutdown to address an unexploded aerial World War II bomb. However, the facilities now face an extraordinary flood threat as a low-pressure storm system, dubbed Boris, moves through central Europe, causing widespread flooding in the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, and Romania.
#### Background
The Litvínov refinery and the associated Chempark Záluží petrochemical complex had been shuttered since August 21, 2024, after workers discovered an unexploded aerial bomb during excavation work. The discovery necessitated an immediate shutdown and the declaration of force majeure on production. The bomb, weighing 230 kg with approximately 100 kg of explosives, posed significant risks due to its chemical time igniter, which used acetone for delayed detonation.
The neutralization process was complex and required ten days to complete. Pyrotechnicians from the Czech Police and Fire and Rescue Services successfully neutralized the bomb on August 30, 2024. Following the controlled detonation, site safety inspections by the Czech Republic police, fire and rescue services, and internal teams were conducted to ensure that all technologies and infrastructure were safe for resumed operations.
#### Restarting Operations
After days of thorough safety inspections, Orlen Unipetrol confirmed the restart of all operations and lifted the force majeure event on September 10, 2024. Production at Chempark Záluží resumed by September 9, with operations at the Litvínov refinery restored as of September 10. The restart was achieved without any substantial damage that would complicate operations, according to Orlen Unipetrol