Esso Nederland B.V. and ExxonMobil Chemical Holland B.V. (hereinafter: Esso and ExxonMobil) have applied for a licence amendment under the Nuclear Energy Act. The draft licence can be viewed by everyone up until 19 August 2026. You can respond to this by submitting a statement of view (public participation response).
Role of the ANVS
The Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ANVS) ensures compliance with the highest standards of nuclear safety and radiation protection in the Netherlands. To fulfil this duty, the ANVS defines rules, issues licences, carries out inspections and takes enforcement action if necessary.
Purpose of the licence
Esso and ExxonMobil engage in the processing of crude oil into fuels such as petrol, diesel oil and kerosene. These activities take place in oil refineries. Crude oil can contain small amounts of naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), which are left behind during the refining process and can become concentrated in the forms of scale and sludge at refineries.
Esso and ExxonMobil have applied for a licence amendment. The purpose of this amendment is to be able to handle NORM safely at their refineries in the Botlek area. NORM is released during oil refinement and maintenance to the refineries, including storage and disposal. These activities will take place on Botlekweg 121 in Botlek-Rotterdam.
See the draft licence and accompanying documents for more information.
View or respond to the licence until 19 August 2026
You can view the draft licence, the application and other relevant documents until 19 August 2026:
- On this website, on the page for the draft licence
- At Rotterdam municipal offices, Coolsingel 40 in Rotterdam; make an appointment at www.rotterdam.nl or by calling 014 010
- At the ANVS at Koningskade 4, The Hague. Make an appointment for this via the Information Desk for Nuclear Energy Act licences, which can be contacted on (088) 489 05 00 on business days between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
You can respond by submitting a statement of view:
- In writing: send a letter to the ANVS, P.O. Box 16001, 2500 BA, The Hague. Include the information that this is a ‘Statement of view concerning Esso and ExxonMobil draft licence’ on the envelope.
- By email: via postbus.aanvragenenmelden@anvs.nl and put ‘Statement of view concerning Esso and ExxonMobil draft licence’ in the subject line of your email.
- By telephone: call the Information Desk for Nuclear Energy Act licences on +31 88 489 05 00 on business days between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
Next steps
Responses may be submitted until 19 August 2026. We will subsequently read the statements of view and assess whether we need to amend the licence. Afterwards, we will grant a final licence, which will be announced on the government’s platform for executive agency publications at puc.overheid.nl/anvs. Our response to the statements of view we received is available here as well.
Questions
Do you have any questions about this draft licence or the associated documents? Call the Information Point for Nuclear Energy Act Licences. They are available from Monday to Friday on +31 88 489 05 00. You can also ask your question by email. In that case, send a message to postbus.aanvragenenmelden@anvs.nl with ‘Question concerning Esso and ExxonMobil' in the subject line of your email.
You can also read the official announcement in the Government Gazette.