Rompetrol Rafinare marks on Thursday the 50th anniversary of the first foundation pillar poured for the Petromidia refinery, a moment that launched the construction of Romania's largest refining complex and a long-term contributor to the country's energy stability.

According to the company, on July 9, 1976 work began on a domestically unprecedented industrial platform: about 480 hectares allocated to a strategic project, including over 35 hectares reclaimed from the sea to allow the development of the future refinery. The first pillar, poured in an area of sand, reeds and shoreline, marked the start of a major technological and logistical effort involving thousands of specialists from Romania and abroad.

Thus, ground consolidation works began 50 years ago at Navodari at the site of the new petrochemical complex. In 1979, with the start-up of the Atmospheric Distillation Unit, Petromidia officially became operational, processing its first barrel of crude oil and opening the way for accelerated industrial development.

Over time, new units were added, so that today Petromidia operates 29 specialised installations in refining, petrochemicals and utilities, producing more than 30 main and auxiliary products, including gasoline, diesel, kerosene, LPG, polyethylene, polypropylene and petroleum coke.

'Fifty years after the first pillar was poured, Petromidia operates a fully integrated technological flow. The platform's evolution confirms our ability to transform the infrastructure built in the 1970s into a modern, complex industrial system that has become a point of reference and stability for Romania's entire economy,' said Rompetrol Rafinare CEO Sorin Graure, as cited in the company release.

Over the next five decades, Petromidia has become a regional energy hub, with a Nelson complexity index of 9.32 and an annual processing capacity of over five million tonnes of feedstock. Successive modernisations and investments in advanced technologies - especially after the takeover by KazMunayGas - have strengthened Petromidia's role as a key fuel supplier and an essential contributor to Romania's and the Black Sea region's energy security.

Today, the Petromidia platform hosts over 20 companies (KMGI Group entities and subcontractors) and benefits from strategic logistics infrastructure.

In 2025, Romania's main refinery recorded its highest crude-processing volume, strong performance in white-product yields (gasoline, diesel, LPG, JET, propylene), reaching the best values in its history, and record levels of gasoline, diesel and JET fuel output. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Cristian Anghelache; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)

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