Crude oil deliveries to Central Europe are poised to restart following the completion of repair works on the Druzhba pipeline, as confirmed by MOL Group through the Ukrainian operator Ukrtransnafta. This development comes after a prolonged disruption that began in late January due to damage sustained during the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The repairs have allowed for the lifting of the force majeure declaration that had been in place since late April, signaling that normal transit operations are ready to resume. The Druzhba pipeline is a critical conduit for Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia, which had been significantly impacted by the interruption.
During this period of disruption, Hungary and Slovakia were compelled to seek alternative supply solutions to sustain their refinery operations. In response, authorities permitted temporary withdrawals from strategic oil reserves, enabling MOL and its subsidiary Slovnaft to access emergency crude volumes. Concurrently, there was a notable increase in shipments via the JANAF pipeline, with Croatia enhancing its throughput capacity to mitigate the shortfall in supplies.
The anticipated resumption of flows through Druzhba is expected to gradually decrease reliance on the Adriatic supply route over the coming months. In fact, nearly one million tons of crude oil were transported through JANAF in the last two and a half months, underscoring its role in partially compensating for the disrupted eastern supplies while meeting refinery demands in both Hungary and Slovakia.
This disruption also had significant political implications, as officials from Hungary and Slovakia voiced concerns regarding delays in repair efforts. Additionally, ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and European partners have further complicated the landscape surrounding energy transit security in the region.
With the Druzhba pipeline now back online, regional oil logistics are expected to stabilize. This development will alleviate pressure on alternative supply routes and restore a vital channel for crude deliveries essential for Central European refineries.
