• Structural collapse caused release of around 2,400kg of highly flammable liquid petroleum gas.
• HSE investigation found long-standing corrosion of steel tower was not dealt with.
• Workers exposed to risk of serious injury and burns in major incident.

Esso has been fined £1 million after a major gas leak at Fawley Oil Refinery in Hampshire, following an investigation and subsequent prosecution by the Health & Safety Executive.

On 8 November 2022, there was a partial collapse of a large steel tower at the Fawley Refinery, causing the structure to slew and rupture pipework, resulting in the uncontrolled release of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

The incident led to a loss of containment of approximately 2,400kg of LPG over a 33-hour period. It took just over 30 minutes for around 400kg of the gas to be released following the collapse.

Workers were in the vicinity at the time of the collapse and were exposed to the risk of serious injury from falling debris, as well as the potential for burns had the gas ignited. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.

Emergency measures, including the use of water curtains, were implemented to reduce the spread of the extremely flammable vapour. It took approximately 33 hours to isolate the affected process and safely vent the remaining substances to the flare system.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the structural collapse was caused by corrosion of the steel tower that had developed over many years. This corrosion had been identified as early as 2010, but the company failed to take appropriate action to control the risk.

HSE regulates major hazard industries, including oil refineries, under a range of specialist regulations aimed at preventing major accidents involving dangerous substances. This includes oversight of asset integrity, inspection regimes and the management of risks such as corrosion, which can lead to loss of containment if not properly controlled.

HSE guidance states that dutyholders must ensure the integrity of plant and pipework is maintained and that equipment is kept in a safe condition. This includes identifying and managing risks such as corrosion to prevent loss of containment of hazardous substances. Further information can be found here: Corrosion under insulation of plant and pipework v3

ESSO Petroleum Company Limited, of Ermyn House, Ermyn Way, Leatherhead, Surrey, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £1 million and ordered to pay £12,277 in costs at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on 12 June 2026.

Amanda Huff, an Inspector in HSE’s specialist Chemicals, Explosives & Major Hazards Division, said: “This incident resulted in the uncontrolled release of a large quantity of flammable gas, which exposed workers to very real and potentially life-threatening risks.

“The underlying cause was a failure to properly manage the integrity of plant and equipment, despite corrosion being identified many years earlier.

“Workers and the wider public have every right to assume that sites processing large quantities of highly flammable chemicals are being properly managed – and it is vital for companies to make sure robust systems are in place to maintain critical infrastructure safely.

“This incident could have been far worse, and today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the breaches our investigation uncovered.”

This HSE prosecution was brought by enforcement lawyer Andrew Siddall and paralegal officer Stephen Grabe.

Further information:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. Relevant guidance on corrosion under installation of pipe plant and pipework: https://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/hid_circs/technical_general/spc_tech_gen_18.htm.
5. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.  The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.

A large offshore oil and gas company has been sentenced and fined £560,000 after failing to properly maintain pipework for seven years.

Pipework on Shell UK’s Brent Charlie platform in the North Sea deteriorated to such an extent that contained hydrocarbon fluids escaped, forming a potentially catastrophic explosive and flammable mixture that could have ignited.

In addition to the release, ventilation fans designed to prevent, control or mitigate the effects of escaped hydrocarbon gas did not function properly as they were also not suitably maintained. This led to a large release of mixed phase crude oil and gas from the corroded pipework. The probability of ignition was assessed to be less than 1%. 

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard on Tuesday 25 November 2025 how, on 19 May 2017, there was an uncontrolled hydrocarbon release incident from a Return Oil Line (ROL) pipework inside concrete leg Column 4 of the Brent Charlie offshore installation. The release involved 200kg of gas and 1,550kg of crude oil – the largest uncontrolled hydrocarbon release on the UK Continental Shelf reported to HSE in 2017.

The release placed over 170 platform personnel at risk from a potentially catastrophic fire and explosion had the escaping hydrocarbon gas ignited inside the concrete leg.

HSE noted that the platform manager, and the various emergency teams, deserve praise for their decision making and actions taken that assisted with preventing the incident from escalating. Their sound judgement and decision making ensured the situation was eventually brought under control.

An HSE investigation found that deficiencies in Shell’s safety management system led to the release. The ROL pipework in Column 4 was not properly maintained for several years. The pipework was installed for short-term use and was due to be removed in 2010 but remained in place for seven years, during which time it suffered corrosion damage. It failed on 19 May 2017 and a large volume of gas was uncontrollably released into the leg. Ventilation extract and supply fans designed to prevent and mitigate this major accident hazard were also inadequately maintained, which exacerbated the risk to the 176 people on the platform.

HSE were involved in the production of the Energy Institute’s Guidance for corrosion management in oil and gas production and processing, as well as several other topic-specific documents. Extensive guidance and resources for the oil and gas industry are available on HSE’s website here Offshore oil and gas – HSE.

Shell UK Limited pleaded guilty to two charges under the Offshore Installations (Prevention of Fire and Explosion, and Emergency Response) Regulations 1995 (PFEER). Sheriff Ian Duguid, in his sentencing remarks, observed that Shell UK “ought to have recognised that the temporary carbon steel spool was not suitable for such a line and should have been replaced.” After considering mitigating factors, Shell was fined £560,000.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Offshore Health and Safety Inspector Dozie Azubike said: “At more than 1,750kg, Shell Brent Charlie’s hydrocarbon release was the largest reported to HSE in 2017. This release occurred in a confined space with limited access – it is simply fortunate that no one was in the leg at the time, or they could have been asphyxiated from the hydrocarbon-rich atmosphere, quite apart from any fire and explosion risk.

“Although the offshore industry has managed to reduce its overall number of hydrocarbon releases, in most years there are still several which, if ignited, would result in potentially catastrophic consequences.

“This case highlights the importance of oil and gas dutyholders reviewing their current management of change processes for temporary spools and their subsequent removal, strengthening inspection regimes to identify potential internal corrosion within pipework, and ensuring that inspection frequency of safety-critical equipment considers full analysis of the equipment’s maintenance history.”

Further Information:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We are dedicated to protecting people and places, and helping everyone lead safer and healthier lives.
2. More information about the legislation referred to in this case is available.
3. Further details on the latest HSE news releases is available.
4. Relevant guidance can be found here Offshore oil and gas – HSE
5. HSE does not pass sentences, set guidelines or collect any fines imposed. Relevant sentencing guidelines must be followed unless the court is satisfied that it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so. The sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences can be found here.