Two of Romania’s three oil refineries will suspend operations in February, a situation that could also affect the Republic of Moldova, which relies heavily on fuel imports from across the Prut River, economedia.ro reports.
According to Bani.md, the Petromidia refinery operated by Rompetrol will enter a scheduled general overhaul, while Petrotel Lukoil will undergo maintenance amid a complicated context shaped by international sanctions imposed on Russia. During this period, only OMV Petrom’s Petrobrazi refinery will continue operating without interruption.
The two refineries that will shut down account for about 70 percent of Romania’s gasoline and diesel refining capacity. However, Romanian authorities say fuel supply disruptions will not occur.
Romania’s Ministry of Energy announced that it requested information from the main sector operators about their ability to cover domestic consumption, either through their own production or through imports from sources not subject to international sanctions. The ministry said the responses show that the market can be supplied without disruptions, including through increased imports.
Regarding the shutdown of Petromidia, Rompetrol stated that it will fully meet its contractual obligations and ensure deliveries from existing stocks, with support from the trading division of the KMG International Group.
The Ministry of Energy in Bucharest also stressed that there is no reason for concern, noting that current fuel stocks can cover about one month of consumption, during which additional imports will also take place.
Romania has the largest oil refining capacity in the region and serves as the main fuel supplier to the Republic of Moldova. According to the latest data from Moldova’s National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE), more than 99 percent of the gasoline imported into Moldova comes from Romania, while diesel imports from Romania account for about 79.5 percent.