Suspected Russian sabotage in the adulteration of crude oil destined for OMV Petrom refinery, according to Romanian sources
In a concerning development, Romanian authorities are investigating a case of contamination in Azerbaijani crude oil, suspected to be caused by deliberate Russian sabotage. The crude oil, transported via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline and destined for refineries in Romania and other European countries, was found to contain dangerously high levels of organic chlorides—chemicals that could severely corrode refinery infrastructure.
The suspected sabotage likely involved the injection of chlorine into the pipeline, a method described as relatively simple and consistent with hybrid warfare tactics. Romanian security sources have not officially named Russia but strongly suspect Russian involvement in the contamination.
The incident triggered a crisis-level emergency in Romania, leading to the release of tens of thousands of tons of crude oil and diesel from strategic reserves to avoid fuel shortages. The contaminated oil shipment was transported via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline and also reached other European countries, including Italy and the Czech Republic.
Italian energy company ENI received compromised crude from the same batch, while Czech company Orlen Unipetrol halted operations to prevent potential damage due to the contaminated oil. No official confirmation has been made by Romanian authorities regarding the identity of those responsible for the contamination, but local media and security sources report strong suspicions against Russia.
The contamination event in Romania is described as consistent with previous patterns of hostile energy-related sabotage by security sources in local media. The contamination could have caused severe corrosion to refinery infrastructure and triggered a national fuel supply crisis.
The BTC Pipeline Company, operator of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, confirmed the incident. Scheduled deliveries to the Port of Constanta were cancelled, creating a temporary shortage at the Petrobrazi refinery.
The Romanian Energy Ministry remains on alert to prevent further spread and impact. No new information is provided about the identity of the entity suspected of carrying out the contamination or the activation of Romania's strategic reserves or the national fuel supply crisis. However, the crisis-level emergency in crude oil supply was declared by the Ministry of Energy on August 4.
This operation, if carried out by a hostile entity, could potentially constitute a hybrid warfare tactic. Romanian authorities are urgently investigating the matter to ensure the safety and security of their energy infrastructure and to maintain the stability of Europe's energy supply network.
- The suspected sabotage of Azerbaijani crude oil in the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline has led to investigations by Romanian authorities, with suspicions pointing towards Russia's involvement in the contamination, which could have serious consequences for the finance and energy industries, as well as for general-news and crime-and-justice sectors, since the contaminated oil has reached other European countries and caused a national fuel supply crisis.
- In the realm of finance, the contamination event has caused potential losses for companies like Italian energy company ENI and Czech company Orlen Unipetrol, which received compromised crude from the same batch, while the industry is also grappling with the potential long-term corrosion of refinery infrastructure due to the high levels of organic chlorides found in the contaminated oil, a development that could have far-reaching ramifications for the economy and energy security within Europe.
