A total of 30 nominees have been shortlisted across five categories for the Hazardex Awards 2026, designed to recognise excellence in the hazardous area sector. The winners of the industry’s most prestigious awards will be announced during a Gala Dinner at Hazardex Live 2026 on 25 February in Harrogate. Here, you can find the nominees for Plant Upgrade & Innovation - Sponsored by C&P Engineering. Submit your votes now!
Below, you can find the details of the six nominees for
Category 5: Plant Upgrade & Innovation – Sponsored by C&P Engineering Services An operator that has successfully implemented projects or equipment to enhance safety, efficiency, and technological innovation in their hazardous areas.
Voting closes on
1 February. Voting rules: * 1. The competition is open to all Hazardex journal, eNewsletter, social media, and website readers and users
* 2. Voters register their votes by fully completing all fields and
use an email from a business address only * 3. Voters are limited to
one vote per category * 4. Nominees are
not permitted to vote for their own company/organisation * 5. All votes will remain confidential
The nominees for the Plant Upgrade & Innovation Award are: a.
Essar Energy Transition – installation of hydrogen-ready furnace at Stanlow Refinery
EET Fuels (the trading name of Essar Oil) successfully completed the installation and connection of a new hydrogen-ready furnace to the refinery system at its Stanlow site in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. Following delivery at the Stanlow site in August 2022, the hydrogen-ready furnace is now fully operational and will be capable of running on 100% refinery off gas (ROG), a blend of ROG and hydrogen fuel, or 100% hydrogen. The furnace will be conventionally fuelled until 2028 when it will transition to using 100% low-carbon hydrogen, produced by EET Hydrogen’s HPP1 plant. Installation of the hydrogen-ready furnace significantly progresses EET Fuels’ ambition to eliminate 95% (around 2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year) of its carbon emissions by 2030.
Website: https://www.hazardexonthenet.net/article/215342/Essar-Energy-Transition-s-hydrogen-ready-furnace-now-powering-EET-Fuels--Stanlow-Site.aspx --
b.
Equinor –
deployment of autonomous robotics systems across all refinery sites in Norway Equinor’s innovation team in Norway has successfully deployed autonomous robotics systems to conduct routine tasks such as monitoring and inspection. The robots use onboard sensors to conduct acoustic, visual and leak detection while also allowing for collection of routine sample points and taking them to a non-hazardous location for testing. The main purpose of the project is to remove personnel from being exposed to hazards in process areas during these routine tasks.
The innovation of this project is not just in the utilisation of robots, but the process Equinor went through, along with it project partners, for determining the suitability of non-ATEX certified or assessed robots to be used in Zone 2 areas. Equinor identified that due to gaps in the current methodologies used for certification of systems for use in hazardous areas, it is not always clear how to apply hazardous area requirements to these systems but also that existing certifications may have gaps to be able to determine that all ignition risks have been defined and managed to acceptable levels. This approach has satisfied equivalence to certification and satisfied all Equinor’s procedural requirements for deployment of equipment in hazardous areas, as with any other devices. Equinor is now supporting DNV in spearheading a Joint Industry Project with multiple operators and robotics companies to develop a recommended practice for assessment of robotics systems for use in hazardous areas.
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c.
ExxonMobil –
£800m investment in Fawley Petrochemical complex Representing a more than £800m investment, ExxonMobil has constructed a new low-sulphur diesel facility at its Fawley refinery. The energy major said increasing low-sulphur diesel production at Fawley by 40 percent should reduce imports into Britain by a quarter while helping to meet demand from sectors including heavy transport, emergency response, agriculture and industry. The project also involved the construction, completion, and commissioning of a Steam Methane Reforming Hydrogen Plant. The new hydrogen plant builds on over 50 years of experience with hydrogen production onsite and could enable the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as the energy transition evolves.
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d.
INEOS – £30 million investment at Hull manufacturing site to cut emissions by 75%
INEOS has completed a major £30 million investment at its Hull manufacturing site, converting the facility to run on clean-burning hydrogen instead of natural gas. The result is a 75% cut in carbon emissions – the equivalent of taking around 160,000 petrol cars off the road and a huge step towards INEOS’ net zero commitment, well ahead of 2050, the company says. This investment will deliver a transformational step change improvement in the site’s product carbon footprint, INEOS said. The hydrogen used at the site is produced as a co-product from existing manufacturing processes, a model which INEOS believes can be replicated across the industry.
Website: https://www.hazardexonthenet.net/article/216728/INEOS-invests--30-million-to-cut-emissions-at-Hull-site-by-75-.aspx --
e.
Nuclear Decommissioning Authority –
use of Spot the robot "dog" to reactivate equipment at Dounreay nuclear site Spot, the robot "dog," assisted personnel in Dounreay’s Fuel Cycle Area by reactivating a crucial building crane in a reprocessing plant. The crane had been deactivated at the switchboard in 2023 due to concerns about the ageing asset at the nuclear site. Safety restrictions prohibited human interaction with the switchboard, which further delayed its reactivation. However, the facility required the crane for waste shipment and for ongoing decommissioning efforts. Following consultations with NRS, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, it was decided to use Spot for the task. As the site’s Spot was not equipped with an “arm” handling device, the team asked the Robotics and Artificial Intelligence Collaboration (RAICo) for support. After conducting a week of trials on a non-live switch mock-up in a nearby substation storeroom, Spot used a gripped pole to flip the switch, successfully restoring power to the crane.
Website: https://www.hazardexonthenet.net/article/215017/Spot-the-robot--dog--helps-reactivate-crane-at-nuclear-facility.aspx --
f.
Statera Energy –
Thurrock Storage, the UK’s largest battery energy storage system
Thurrock Storage, the UK’s largest battery energy storage system (BESS) developed by Statera Energy, is now energised and delivering electricity to the grid. The landmark 300MW battery storage site is capable of powering up to 680,000 homes with instantaneous power over two hours. Thurrock Storage can respond rapidly to changes on the grid, delivering its full output of up to 600MWh within seconds. Strategically located close to London, Thurrock Storage will play a significant role in maintaining the UK’s energy security. It facilitates the immediate and efficient deployment of energy directly where it is most needed, significantly enhancing grid stability and resilience. The site is also located immediately north of the former Tilbury coal power station, transforming the site’s legacy to enable the clean energy transition.
Website: https://www.hazardexonthenet.net/article/217166/Statera-Energy-powers-up-UK-s-largest-battery-storage-site.aspx --
Details of those nominated for the remaining awards can be found by clicking on the category titles below:
Category 1: Contribution to Safety – Sponsored by CEF
A product, system or service which has made a significant contribution to safety in hazardous area environments.
Category 2: Technical Innovation – Sponsored by C&P Engineering Services
An innovative product or system for use in hazardous area environments.
Category 3: Net Zero, Environment & Sustainability - Sponsored by Mutech An innovation for hazardous environments that helps lower emissions and carbon footprints.
Category 4: Customer Service – Sponsored by DNV
A company or corporate division that has provided excellent customer service in the sector over the last two years.
Play your part in raising awareness and standards across the sector by clicking here to enter your vote and encouraging your colleagues to do likewise! Contact us on +44 (0) 1732 778544 or hazardex@imlgroup.co.uk for further details on attendance, exhibiting or sponsoring this must-attend event.Hazardex Awards 2026 are sponsored by:
