Aftenposten (Norway): Shell shuts its propane pumps: “The gas explosion at Shell's station at Strand, west of Oslo, closed the heavily trafficked E18 motorway in and out of the city.”: Tuesday 6 Sept 2005

Oil company Shell has shut down all of the 28 propane (LPG) pumps at its Norwegian gas stations. On Tuesday Shell flew in an expert from its Dutch headquarters, in the hopes of preventing gas leaks and explosions like one that occurred last summer.

The gas explosion at Shell's station at Strand, west of Oslo, closed the heavily trafficked E18 motorway in and out of the city.

Jacob Olsbø, information chief for Shell in Norway, told Aftenposten.no that the company is aiming to ward off more accidents.

"After the gas explosion at Strand (west of Oslo) on July 14, we've put a lot of focus on safety around our LPG pumps," Olsbø said. All the company's pumps are being checked.

Inspections last week revealed a part in one of the pumps that wasn't in accordance with Shell's internal specifications, Olsbø said. "We therefore shut down all our gas installations over the weekend," he said.

Shell has 2,500 LPG pumps at stations around the world, "so the expertise within the company is great."

The explosion at the Shell station at Strand shut down the busy E18 motorway and led to traffic chaos on a warm summer evening. There were no injuries, but the accident literally shook up station workers and neighbouring homes and businesses.

Aftenposten's reporter

Svend Ole Kvilesjø

Aftenposten English Web Desk

Nina Berglund

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