Shell reports: Advancing Process Safety with Grandperspective

The article highlights how Shell Chemicals Park Moerdijk in the Netherlands, one of Europe’s largest petrochemical facilities, is strengthening its process safety by combining a strong safety culture with cutting-edge technology. With about 850 employees and 400 contractors producing millions of tonnes of chemicals annually, safety is central to daily operations. Traditional monitoring relied on fixed sensors and manual inspections, but gaps remained in hard-to-reach areas. This led the site to pilot ground-based remote sensing technology from GrandPerspective, which uses hyperspectral and infrared imaging to continuously detect and visualize over 400 gases across large areas. Initial trials during a plant turnaround successfully identified hydrocarbon emissions, giving operators real-time insights and reducing the need for risky manual checks. Following positive results, the system was expanded to cover much of the 320-hectare site, detecting multiple emissions that would otherwise have been discovered later. The article stresses that this technology complements — rather than replaces — human vigilance and helps Moerdijk go beyond regulatory compliance to improve safety and sustainability.