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COVID-19 breaks out at MOL petchem project

HUNGARY SOME 200 workers have tested positive for coro- symptoms.
navirus (COVID-19) at MOL’s polyol project in MOL said contact tracing has begun. The
northern Hungary employed by its German company is following the situation closely and
partner, contractor ThyssenKrupp, local media will make further decisions regarding the issue
reported on October 6. in accordance with developments.
The mayor of Tiszaujvaros posted the offi- The company introduced new safety regula-
cial letter of the Hungarian oil and gas giant on tions internally. Wearing masks will be compul-
Facebook. The company laid the cornerstone sory and blue-collar staff will be tested every 2-3
of a €1.2bn petrochemicals plant just last year, weeks.
its largest organic investment project in MOL’s Hungary reported its highest number of
history. fatalities on Tuesday since the breakout of the
The complex will produce polyol using effi- epidemic. Twenty patients, died bringing the
cient and environmentally friendly technologies death toll to 853. The number of registered
such as the HPPO process (propylene oxide from infections has risen by 818 to 32,298, Epide-
hydrogen peroxide). MOL teamed up with Thys- miologists warned that Hungary’s lax rules are
senKrupp, the main contractor of the project that a recipe for a major outbreak. Indoor events
is due to be completed next year. are allowed up to 100 participants and out-
According to the statement, ThyssenKrupp door events up to 500. Concerts, bars and
tested every worker on site of the project. Those restaurants are allowed to open until 11 pm.
infected have been in isolation since receiving Professional sports events are held in front of
the results, and none of them are showing any spectators. ™

NEWS IN BRIEF

EQUINOR, October 7 2020
Turkey objects to EU’s and Cyprus. Equinor committing to the
It said Greek and Turkish Cypriots needed
continued reference to to be brought together to form a mechanism Sea Cargo Charter – for
to coordinate their hydrocarbon activities
possible sanctions against and ensure that revenues between the two more transparent reporting
sides of the divided island are shared in a just
Ankara fashion.
“As long as this is not achieved, the
The Turkish Foreign Ministry on October 2 Turkish Cypriot side will continue with its of shipping activity to reach
objected to the European Union’s continued hydrocarbon activities by means of [Turkish decarbonisation targets
reference to possible sanctions against Ankara energy company] TPAO,” it added.
following a summit held by the bloc. A group of the world’s largest companies with
At the summit, Cyprus withdrew its shipping activity will for the first time assess
opposition to sanctions on Belarus after Extended strike could close and disclose the climate alignment of their
other EU leaders assured Nicosia that the shipping activities. The group includes Shell,
bloc would punish Turkey if it continues oil the Johan Sverdrup field Total, Orsted and major other charterers of
and gas exploration in disputed areas of the shipping services.
Mediterranean. If the ongoing strike on the Norwegian United Nations agencies estimate the
Cyprus had wanted the EU to move continental shelf continues until October 14, international shipping industry to carry
ahead and impose sanctions on Turkey, but the Johan Sverdrup field in the North Sea will around 80% of world trade flows and to be
it was eventually satisfied by a compromise have to close production until further notice. responsible for 2-3% of global greenhouse
that agrees to review Turkey’s behaviour in The union Lederne has taken out 43 gas emissions annually. Large industrial
December and impose sanctions then if its members at Johan Sverdrup and production corporations are significant users of
“provocations” have not stopped. here has not been affected so far. international shipping services.
“It is not constructive to continue to This situation would change if the strike The Sea Cargo Charter has been
use the language of sanctions and describe continues into the October 14. This is due developed by a group of charterers to
the steps taken by our country to defend to the scheduled rotation of personnel as measure and report climate alignment.
our rights and those of Turkish Cypriots as there would not be sufficient capacity and The ambition is to be transparent on
illegal,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry said in competence in key operational functions at environmental performance to drive
a written statement. Johan Sverdrup. improvements.
“While there were some positive elements We hope that in the intervening period By calculating how effectively each
in the decisions regarding our country, many there may be a settlement between The charterer uses its fleet of vessels, and
areas were divorced from realities,” it said, Norwegian Oil and Gas Association and the publishing the results, the group hopes
adding that the outcome showed EU-Turkey union. to promote openness and accountability
relations had been “taken hostage” by Greece in the wider industry. The target is to be

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