Petromidia and Vega refineries to reopen after successful completion of planned overhaul

The Petromidia Năvodari refinery, the largest in the country, and Vega Ploiești, operated by Rompetrol Rafinare, will return to optimal capacity in the coming days, the company announced, this process being a very important one and carried out in stages, respecting all safety and occupational security norms.

With this reopening, the number of operating refineries in Romania will reach three out of the four existing ones. Currently, only the Petrobrazi refinery, operated by OMV Petrom, is operating, while Petrotel, owned by the Russians from Lukoil, is closed in the context of the international sanctions in force.

According to the company, the overhaul of the two refineries involved a total of over 700 specific maintenance works, catalyst replacement in six main installations, checks on about 900 pieces of equipment (static, dynamic and electrical), as well as inspections and testing for almost 1,200 pipelines.

“Another objective successfully achieved during the overhaul was the recertification and extension of operating permits from the competent authorities – ISCIR and CNCIR. We appreciate the constant support of the authorities, which facilitated the completion of the works within the deadline estimated by the company”, company officials said.

The works were carried out with the support of over 2,500 people – specialists from the company, the general contractor (Rominserv) and the 45 companies involved, with extensive experience in the field.

„Thus, the refineries operated by Rompetrol Rafinare will resume, as soon as possible, their efforts to supply petroleum products, through which they will contribute to stabilizing the national market, in a difficult context, both for producers and consumers,” the officials said.

It should be recalled that, amid the escalation of tensions in the Middle East, the Romanian Government declared, through an emergency ordinance adopted on Thursday, a crisis situation on the fuel market, from April 1 to June 31, with the possibility of extension.

„The technological shutdown was carried out based on a precise calendar, with general overhauls scheduled at intervals of 4 years and technological shutdowns carried out at intervals of 2 years, for intermediate works. We note that these overhauls are absolutely necessary to ensure safe operation, continuity of technological processes and environmental protection,” the officials of Rompetrol Rafinare, a member company of the KMG International Group (Rompetrol), said.

Petromidia Refinery is the largest refinery in Romania, with a processing capacity of over 5 million tons of raw material/year and one of the most modern in Southeastern Europe.

Vega is the second refinery of the KMG International Group, located in Ploiești, Prahova and operating in an integrated regime with the Petromidia refinery, which provides it with raw material. With a processing capacity of 350,000 tons of raw material/year (raffinate, fuel oil, jet A1, C5-C6 fraction), the Vega refinery holds the position of sole producer for a series of specific products including: normal hexane, ecological solvents, refined white spirit and other petroleum products (naphtha gasoline, white spirit, heating fuels, light liquid fuel, road and special bitumens).

The significant shareholders of Rompetrol Rafinare SA are KMG International (54.63% – directly and indirectly) and the Romanian State through the Ministry of Energy (44.7%).