Romanian refinery business airs ‘geopolitical’ fears

BRUA, and another project called Eastring, have made it to the European Union’s Projects of Common Interest list, though under the “cluster of potentially competing PCIs”, meaning that it is up to the market to determine whether one or more will be implemented.

The head of the Romanian company supplying crude oil to the country’s refineries has warned of a ‘geopolitical situation’ that may block the Black Sea and dry up the sector, unless the EU helps build pipelines to bring crude oil from the Italian port of Trieste.

Liviu Ilași, director general of Conpet, which he called the largest crude oil transportation company in South East Europe, spoke at the European Parliament on Wednesday, at a conference organised by the Romanian Energy Center.

At present, most of the crude oil imported by Romania comes from Russia, Ilași said. Romania has also produces some of its own crude.

Black Sea ‘blocked’?

“It is not at all hypothetical. What would be the EU approach, including Romania’s, to avoid a crisis which would prevent the refineries in Romania from receiving supply? What would happen if for various reasons, in the geopolitical context, the Black Sea would be blocked?” Ilași asked.

source: euractiv.com