Equinor contests penalty notice from Økokrim

In May 2021, Equinor Refining Norway AS (“Equinor Mongstad”) was charged with violations of the Pollution Control Act. The case concerns historical matters related to emissions and discharges that the company itself has uncovered, investigated, and improved.
The investigation has concluded, and Equinor Mongstad has received a fine from Økokrim of NOK 220 million and a confiscation claim of NOK 500 million.

“We take the matters mentioned very seriously. The company itself uncovered and reported the emissions and discharges to the authorities. Equinor has conducted thorough and transparent investigations and implemented a number of measures to correct relevant deviations. We disagree that the company has failed to fulfill its duty of proper maintenance of the plant over several decades and that the company has saved cost through inadequate maintenance. Økokrim has not specified what the punishable negligence consists of. The company therefore does not accept the penalty notice and will clarify the case in court,” says Siv Helen Rygh Torstensen, executive vice president, Legal & Compliance.
The law firm Hjort AS represents Equinor.
Latest news

Empire to file preliminary injunction against lease suspension order
Empire Offshore Wind LLC (Empire) filed a civil suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia today 2 January 2026 challenging the U.S. Department of the Interior’s order directing a suspension to the Empire Wind project. As part of that case, Empire plans to seek a preliminary injunction and allow construction to continue while the litigation proceeds.

Empire receives stop work order from US Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Empire Offshore Wind LLC (Empire) is complying with the notice received from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on 22 December, ordering the suspension of ongoing activities on the Outer Continental Shelf citing national security concerns.

Status update for the Snøhvit Future project
Estimates for progress and costs for the Snøhvit Future project have been updated. The project has been postponed compared to the original plan and cost estimates have increased by approximately NOK four billion since 2024.