The Romanian Ministry of Energy is establishing a new framework for the national emergency stock of crude oil and petroleum products, including calculation methodology, for the period covering July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027. This initiative, reported by Business24, seeks to ensure consistent funding, secure storage, and minimise budgetary impact through a phased implementation approach. The plan includes a reduction in the number of obligated storage holders from 18 to 14, with centralisation managed by the Central Storage Entity of Romania (ANRSPS).

Initially, the Central Storage Entity has communicated to the Ministry of Energy that it does not yet possess its own specific stocks. Consequently, for the 2026-2027 period, economic operators who are designated storage holders will be exclusively responsible for constituting these minimum crude oil and/or petroleum product reserves as emergency stocks.

The gradual implementation of this strategy over several years will ensure predictable financing, allowing for the appropriate establishment, maintenance, and storage of these reserves. ANRSPS, which was designated as the central storage entity in spring 2024, can commence stock creation efforts incrementally, contingent on securing adequate funding and meeting technical storage capacity requirements, according to Profit.ro.

Romania's total national petroleum industry storage obligation is projected to see a slight increase of approximately 1.5%, rising from 2.034 million tonnes for the 2025-2026 period to 2.064 million tonnes for 2026-2027. Notably, the list of entities with storage obligations will contract significantly. Petrotel Lukoil, a Russian-affiliated refinery, has been removed from the upcoming period's list due to international sanctions and the absence of an exemption license, as discussed in the context of OFAC-imposed blockades.

Conversely, four new companies—Alkagesta Balkans, Vitaro Energy, Haxem Oil Trading, and Warehouse Diesel Store—have been added to the list of producers with storage obligations. OMV Petrom remains the largest obligated entity with 636,485 tonnes, while Rompetrol Rafinare and Lukoil Romania will see their obligations increase to 636,169 tonnes and 318,769 tonnes, respectively. Oscar Downstream's obligation decreases to 240,588 tonnes, MOL Romania's rises to 163,299 tonnes, and SOCAR Petroleum's reduces to 53,081 tonnes. These adjustments reflect re-evaluated storage requirements based on net import dynamics over the past year, as also detailed by Profit.ro.

The methodology for calculating stock levels is based on 90 days of net imports, determined as the daily average from the preceding year, in adherence to applicable legislation. Storage holders are defined as resident economic operators or non-residents operating through a permanent establishment in Romania who introduce over 1,000 tonnes of crude oil and/or petroleum products annually into the local market. Operators retain flexibility in their product composition, provided it includes at least one-third petroleum products and no more than two-thirds crude oil, encompassing gasoline, diesel, kerosene, fuel oil, and crude oil in physical emergency stocks.

Sources

  1. Business24, “Minimum emergency stocks in Romania are organised through centralisation at the Central Storage Entity”, 2026-05-12 — business24.ro
  2. Alkagesta — alkagesta.com