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Mossmorran and Braefoot Bay Complexes

Mossmorran is situated near Cowdenbeath, 20km north of Edinburgh. The Mossmorran complex consists of two neighbouring plants: the Fife Natural Gas Liquids (FNGL) Plant operated by Shell U.K. Limited and the Fife Ethylene Plant (FEP) operated by ExxonMobil Chemical Limited.

The Fife Ethylene Plant ceased operations in February 2026 and is currently being decommissioned. SEPA continue to regulate the plant, undertaking regular contact and inspections.

Latest update

Community notice - Shell Fife NGL Plant

Date published: 14 October 2026

The operator has issued the following community notice:

"I would like to make you aware that we will be operating our flares between Thursday 15th and Friday 16th October. This is a planned activity following work carried out upstream of Fife NGL. While we will prioritise the use of the ground flares, the elevated flare will also be required and may be seen from surrounding communities.

"Flaring is a normal and safely managed part of our operations. While we aim to minimise flaring wherever possible, the controlled use of the flare system is sometimes necessary to support operational activities. We recognise that the flare can be seen locally in daylight and at night, and we aim to minimise any impact on the nearby community. We have informed the regulator SEPA.

"As part of our commitment to keeping our neighbours informed, we are providing advance notice to help explain any increased flare activity that may be observed from the site during this period. We hope you find these updates useful and reassuring.

"Please contact us if you have any questions or comments. Our notices and contact details are also on the plant website."

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