10-MONTH SERIES OF CAPACITY TESTS ON THE ADRIA PIPELINE BEGIN ON MARCH 11

By: MOL Group

Photo: L. Hoffmann

Following the agreement between MOL Group and JANAF, long‑term series of capacity‑tests on the Adria pipeline will begin on March 11. The series of capacity tests will run for 10 months in three to four phases, during which experts will examine what stable, sustainable, and long-term continuous transport performance the infrastructure is capable of under different weather conditions in different seasons and with different crude types. In the initial phases of the testing series commencing now, the pipeline will not operate at full capacity throughout the entire month, as although Slovnaft’s Bratislava refinery is operating at 100%, the Danube Refinery is currently running with limited production capacity. The test of the daily peak capacity of 40,000 tonnes will only be feasible on a continuous basis later, after the AV3 unit has been restored (autumn this year).

However, the approximately 10‑month series of tests consisting of several elements will not stop at examining the pipeline’s capacity. The parties are also interested in how the entire Croatian crude‑oil transportation logistics chain will perform. Therefore, in addition to assessing the pipeline’s capacity, they will also examine—among other things—the port capacity, the ability and speed of unloading, as well as crude‑oil blending capabilities. The full test series will be carried out with the involvement of an international and independent monitoring team. MOL will bring in American experts, while JANAF will involve German specialists in the process.

According to MOL, launching thorough and professional testing is a forward‑looking step for regional supply security: it is in everyone’s interest that, after contradictory tests and wide-ranging public statements, the facts finally speak for themselves. Since 2023, in statements in Croatia, the annual capacity of the pipeline has ranged between 11 and 15 million tonnes, while no more than 2.2 million tonnes of crude oil have ever been transported through the pipeline section (see appendix).

At the beginning of 2027, after the evaluation of the one-year test series, the debate and uncertainty may end, and we will see what is needed for the Adria pipeline to finally become a full-fledged route.

At the same time, MOL Group still does not have a valid transportation contract for 2026, and the delay in the contractual process adds legal uncertainty to the existing supply problems.

Moreover, MOL and Slovnaft have also been waiting for JANAF and the Croatian authorities to take a position on whether JANAF will allow through unsanctioned Russian crude oil shipments that are compliant with all international regulations and sanctions. The company has already sent the Hungarian and Slovak authorities’ permits to the Croatian partner.

Appendix

Key Croatian statements on the capacity of the Adria pipeline, 2023–2026