Storm Goretti: How Europe’s Severe Winter Weather Threatens Hazardous Area Operations – And Why Immediate Action Is Critical

Posted on 08 January 2026

Storm Goretti is already impacting Europe, bringing a combination of freezing temperatures, snow, ice and strong winds across key industrial regions. While transport disruption and power outages dominate headlines, the most serious risks are being felt quietly across hazardous area industrial sites where temperature control is fundamental to safe operation.

For industries such as oil & gas, petrochemical processing, offshore production, terminals, tank farms and chemical manufacturing, Storm Goretti is not simply a weather event. It is a direct threat to flow assurance, safety compliance, asset integrity and production continuity.

This article explores what Storm Goretti means for hazardous area operations, the specific technical issues sites will face, and how ATEX-certified heating and temperature maintenance solutions can prevent forced shutdowns, damage and lost revenue.

What Is Storm Goretti?

Storm Goretti is a powerful winter storm system that developed over the North Atlantic before intensifying as it moved into Western Europe. Meteorological agencies have issued widespread warnings for sub-zero temperatures, heavy snowfall, freezing rain and strong winds, with conditions expected to deteriorate rapidly in some regions.

What makes Storm Goretti particularly disruptive is not just the snowfall or wind, but the speed at which temperatures are dropping. Sudden cold snaps place significant thermal stress on industrial systems that rely on controlled heat input to remain operational.

For hazardous area sites, these conditions create a perfect storm for freezing, solidification, instrumentation failure and emergency shutdowns.

Why Cold Weather Is a Major Industrial Risk

In hazardous environments, temperature is not simply a comfort issue – it is a critical process variable. Many fluids, chemicals and gases behave very differently as temperatures fall:

Hydrocarbons become more viscous or gel
Chemicals crystallise or solidify
Condensation freezes inside lines and instruments
Elastomers and seals lose flexibility

Without active temperature maintenance, these changes can lead to blocked pipelines, seized valves, damaged pumps and false instrument readings – all of which can trigger safety trips or forced shutdowns.

Impact on Hazardous Area Industries

Oil & Gas – Onshore, Offshore & Terminals

Oil & gas assets are especially exposed during extreme cold. Storm Goretti increases the risk of:

Pipeline and valve freeze-ups
Reduced flow rates and pressure instability
Heat exchanger efficiency loss due to icing
Instrument air and impulse line freezing

On offshore platforms and remote assets, access restrictions caused by weather make rapid intervention difficult, increasing reliance on permanently installed trace heating and hazardous area heaters.

Petrochemical & Chemical Processing

Many chemical processes operate within tight temperature windows. Cold ingress during storms can cause:

Feedstock temperature dropping below reaction limits
Increased viscosity leading to pump overload
Batch quality issues or scrapped product
Extended restart times after shutdown

Tank Farms, Drum Storage & Loading Operations

Bulk storage and transfer operations face increased challenges as temperatures fall:

Drums and IBCs stored outdoors cool rapidly
Loading arms and hoses freeze between transfers
Mobile operations become difficult or unsafe

Common Failure Modes During Extreme Cold Events

Frozen pipework and valves requiring controlled thawing
Unplanned production shutdowns due to process trips
ATEX compliance risks if uncertified heaters are introduced in emergencies
Asset damage caused by thermal shock or ice expansion
Extended restart timelines once materials solidify

Crucially, many sites only discover these vulnerabilities after temperatures have dropped. By that point, options are limited and downtime is already unavoidable.

Heating & Temperature Control Solutions for Storm Conditions

At Thorne & Derrick, we specialise in engineered heating solutions for hazardous areas, designed to maintain safe operating temperatures during extreme winter weather events such as Storm Goretti.

Typical mitigation strategies include:

ATEX & IECEx certified air heaters for plant rooms, enclosures and temporary work areas
Electrical trace heating for pipelines, valves, manifolds and tanks
Drum and IBC heaters to maintain product viscosity and prevent solidification
Heated hoses for safe, flexible transfer of temperature-sensitive fluids

All equipment is selected to meet the required zone classification, temperature class (T-class), ingress protection and duty cycle.

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