Shell Fined for Moerdijk Explosion

A Dutch court has fined Shell €2.5 million following an explosion and fire at its Moerdijk complex on Jun. 3, 2014 that injured two workers.

The accident occurred in the reactor of an SM/PO installation at the Dutch site owned by the Ellba joint venture of Shell and BASF. The facility, which is operated by Shell, was down for maintenance at the time.

The Den Bosch court ruled that the energy and chemicals group had breached environmental and safety at work rules. It also held Shell liable for a leak of ethylene oxide that occurred at the same site from Nov. 14, 2015 until Jan. 27, 2016.

The Dutch Public Prosecution Service summoned Shell Nederland Chemie to court in March, after concluding that the company’s prevention policy was below standard and “endangered employees and people in the surrounding area.”

Shell has two weeks to appeal the ruling.