Planning approval granted for FEP Enclosed Ground Flare

Our team at Fife Ethylene Plant (FEP) has secured planning approval for a new Enclosed Ground Flare (EGF) at the site.  Council planners granted permission for its installation after months of development work by technical experts at Mossmorran.

The EGF, which should be ready by the end of next year, is designed to cut the use of the elevated flare at FEP by at least 98 per cent and reduce the noise, light and vibration sometimes associated with its use.  

Designed and manufactured by supplier Zeeco, the EGF is at the forefront of the latest advancements in proven flaring technology.  Its design differs greatly from the existing flares at Mossmorran in that the flame itself is enclosed and will not be visible.

Preparation work for the EGF was carried out as part of the recent £140m plant upgrade, keeping the unit on schedule for operation by end of 2022. Martin Burrell, plant manager at FEP said the work carried out as part of the planning process had been extremely thorough. 

“As part of our application we provided a range of assessments describing the impact of the new EGF,” he explained.  “As expected, noise modelling showed the EGF would bring considerable improvement particularly at low frequency, one of the main things highlighted by neighbouring communities.  This approval will now allow us to press ahead with our 14-point plan to reduce flaring and ensure our operations are much quieter and less visible.”