Shell Discovers Unexploded Bomb Near North Sea Gas Pipeline

Shell has confirmed the discovery of an unexploded bomb near a 40-year-old gas line in the North Sea. The bomb was found during an inspection of the Far North Liquids and Associated Gas System Pipeline (Flags pipeline), located about 40 miles east of Shetland. Shell has initiated an investigation into how the bomb ended up next to the operating subsea gas pipeline and has brought in a third-party advisor to examine the circumstances. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has been informed, and a guard vessel has been stationed at the location of the bomb, while the pipeline continues to operate normally.

The Flags pipeline, installed in 1982 during the peak of North Sea oil and gas development, is a 36-inch line running approximately 200 nautical miles from the Brent Field to the St. Fergus Gas Terminal in Scotland. In 2007, it was connected to the Tampen gas pipeline between Norway’s Statfjord development and the UK, with Shell and ExxonMobil sharing ownership. The discovery of unexploded ordnance from World War I and II is not uncommon in UK waters, posing navigation and development hazards. A recent parliamentary study estimated that around 500,000 pieces of unexploded weaponry lie on the seabed around Great Britain.

In a separate incident, a Scottish fishing vessel recently retrieved an unexploded antisubmarine mortar in the Firth of Forth near Edinburgh. The device, containing approximately 80 pounds of explosives, was safely removed by an HM Coastguard bomb squad after the crew was evacuated. The mortar was then detonated offshore in deeper water to ensure safety. The presence of unexploded ordnance in UK waters underscores the ongoing risks associated with historical military activities in the region.

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