Environmental impact assessment cleared for Transnafta project
Serbia has received environmental approval for a proposed 113-kilometre crude oil pipeline linking Hungary with Novi Sad. The Serbian Ministry of Environmental Protection approved the project’s environmental impact assessment after a request submitted by state pipeline operator Transnafta. The decision removes an important regulatory obstacle and allows the project to move into subsequent permitting stages.
The approval does not set a final construction schedule or confirm that all remaining commercial and regulatory conditions have been met. Before construction can begin, the pipeline must still pass through additional stages required under the permitting process.
Route, capacity and connection to regional pipeline systems
The pipeline is planned to run underground from Horgoš, near Serbia’s border with Hungary, to Transnafta’s existing terminal in Novi Sad. Its designed transport capacity is 5.5 million tonnes of crude oil annually. The route would pass through the municipalities of Kanjiža, Senta, Ada, Bečej and Žabalj.
Additional facilities are planned along the corridor to support pipeline operation. The project would connect Serbia to Hungary’s crude oil transportation system and, through it, the wider Druzhba pipeline network.
Crude grade and commercial considerations for throughput
The infrastructure is intended to provide Serbia with an additional import route for crude oil and reduce reliance on existing transportation arrangements. The project is designed to transport Russian Export Blend (REB) crude, tying its commercial value to the availability and regulatory treatment of that specific oil grade.
The investment case depends on factors beyond construction, including access to the Hungarian transportation network, long-term throughput commitments, financing arrangements, crude procurement conditions and compatibility with Serbian refining requirements.
