Exxon pledges inquiry into flaring at ethylene plant

The skies above the Kingdom were lit up once more as unplanned flaring lasted from Friday until 1.30 a.m. this morning.

It sparked concern from politicians and condemnation from local residents.

A team of workers finally got the massive plant re-started in the early hours of Monday morning..

Sonia Bingham, plant manager at FEP for ExxonMobil Chemical said: “I would like to apologise to the local community for the unplanned flaring over the past few days.

‘‘My operations team has worked tirelessly over the weekend to restore normal operations to the plant and kept SEPA fully informed throughout the event.”

She added: “I know that flaring can cause concern and inconvenience, but it is a vital safety system and we never flare without good reason.

‘‘We have made every effort to minimise any impact on the local community, and while I recognise that it can be frustrating to local residents,

‘‘I am grateful to them for their patience and understanding.”

She said ExxonMobil Chemical would conduct a thorough review into the flaring.