Crude oil production decreases by 3.8%, imports down by 20.2% in first 4 months

Romania produced, in the first four months of 2024, a quantity of crude oil of 903,900 tonnes of oil equivalent (toe), by 36,100 toe less (-3.8%) compared to that in the similar period of the previous year, according to data centralized by the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

In the mentioned period, the imports of steel exceeded 2.18 million tep, being 552,400 tep below those recorded in January-April 2023 (-20.2%).

According to the latest Energy Balance Forecast, published by the National Strategy and Forecast Commission (CNSP), Romania's crude oil production will be on a downward trajectory until 2026, with an average annual rate of -2.2%, a consequence of the decline natural deposits and maintenance of existing production units.

On the other hand, for the crude oil import, CNSP estimates an increase in the mentioned period with an average annual rate of 4.1%.

The refining sector in Romania consists of four operational refineries: Petrobrazi (owned by OMV Petrom), Petromidia and Vega (owned by Rompetrol) and Petrotel (owned by Lukoil) with a total operational capacity of approximately 12 million tonnes per year.

According to the project of the Energy Strategy of Romania 2025-2035, with the perspective of 2050, Romania has a capacity to process crude oil greater than the domestic demand for petroleum products. However, Romanian refineries purchase the national production of crude oil and import about two thirds of what is needed. In 2023, Romanian refineries processed 10.2 million tonnes of crude oil and additives, of which 2.8 million tonnes were domestically produced and 7.4 million tonnes were imported.

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