Romania’s OMV Petrom is moving forward with its large-scale sustainable fuels production project in Petrobrazi

OMV Petrom is moving forward with its 560 million euro investment in a new sustainable fuels production facility at the Petrobrazi refinery in Romania. The foundations for the future facility have already been completed, and installation of the main process equipment is underway at the site. Production is scheduled to begin in 2028 and reach an annual capacity of 250,000 metric tons, BalkanEngineer.com learned from a press release issued by the company.

Petrobrazi will produce SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) and HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), which is used as a renewable diesel. The plant will primarily use used cooking oils and vegetable fats, and the facility is designed so that the product mix can be adjusted based on available raw materials and market demand. Production of biodiesel and bio-LPG (renewable liquefied petroleum gas) is also planned.

Construction began in 2025, and the project is currently in the phase of installing the main equipment. Approximately 20,000 m³ of concrete was used for the foundations, and some of the delivered process equipment reaches a height of 60 m. Once installation is complete, the new facility will be connected to the refinery’s existing systems, and testing will be conducted prior to its commissioning.

OMV Petrom is also adding its own green hydrogen production to the sustainable fuels project. Two electrolysers with a total capacity of 55 MW are being built at Petrobrazi, which will supply part of the hydrogen needed for the new facility and for other processes at the refinery. The investment in these units amounts to approximately 190 million euros, bringing the total investment in sustainable fuels and green hydrogen at the site to approximately 750 million euros.

Preparations are also underway for the supply chain and the future marketing of the products. OMV Petrom has already secured contracts for over 80% of the raw materials needed for the plant’s first eight years of operation, and starting in 2028, a five-year agreement with OMV Downstream will take effect for the supply of up to 360,000 metric tons of fuels, with at least 200,000 metric tons of the contracted volume being SAF. Thus, in parallel with construction, the company is securing the raw materials and ensuring the sale of a portion of its future production.

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