• Sustainability Approach
• Environment
• People
• Community
• Sustainability Reports

ENVIRONMENT

We do business responsibly and we are fully committed to complying with local, national and international laws across all Group operations. 

In 2021, The Group started the development of its decarbonization strategy aimed at reducing emissions and associated abatement costs. Through this strategy we are establishing our technology outlook on the transition to lower carbon and renewable energy, establishing future projects for implementation.  

The first directions set forward aimed at reducing CO₂ emissions involve:  

• CO₂ recovery from the current Hydrogen Production Plant, 120 kt/year capacity
• Renewable energy generation - 100 MW solar PV and 100 MW wind
• Co-processing of vegetable oils to produce HVO
• Building a new bioethanol plant

Innovative Environmental Oil Refinery owns and operates the Petromidia Refinery, in Navodari, Constanta, with a petrochemical plant, and the Vega Refinery located in Ploiesti, Prahova. 
 

Materials 

Petromidia Refinery

In 2021, 4.59 million tons were processed, lower by 5.7% compared to the previous year.

Petrochemical Plant

Vega Refinery

 

Energy 

Within the Refining BU we monitor on a daily basis several energy efficiency indicators. These indicators are influenced by the increasing complexity of the refining units following the extensive development initiatives, the subsequent higher throughput, along with energy efficiency measures (low cost/no cost) & dedicated projects aimed at reducing energy consumption while optimizing operations. 

Water 

Innovative Environmental Oil Refinery has dedicated internal procedures in place, which document water management, covering quality monitoring, verification and maintenance of wastewater transport facilities, sealing and isolation of structures/basins, monitoring of technological processes, checking the quality of process water from intake to discharge.  

Water management is performed in compliance with the requirements of Water Permits, issued every 3 years. 

All specific pollutants (mentioned in the permits) are monitored in the discharged water, with different frequencies (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly). Water analyses are performed by ISO-17025 accredited laboratory. In 2021 there was no exceeding of the concentration value limits for pollutants discharged. 

The freshwater withdrawal represented 96.6% of total water withdrawn. 

 

BIODIVERSITY 

For each new project, prior to implementation, we conduct an environmental impact assessment which identifies, describes, and evaluates the significant direct and indirect effects of the following factors: 1. population and human health; 2. biodiversity, paying special attention to protected species; 3. land, soil, water, air and climate; 4. material assets, cultural heritage and landscape.  

Innovative Environmental Oil Refinery – Petromidia (Navodari) is located near Natura 2000 Sites, the Tașaul Corbu Lakes and the Black Sea. Also, the last stage of the Wastewater Treatment Plant is located on the territory of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. 
 

EMISSIONS 

In July 2021, the European Commission released its “Fit for 55” legislation package, supporting its commitment to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. The package presents a policy action plan on how to reach Europe’s climate targets, in line with its ambition to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Due to the existing climate and energy legislation, EU’s greenhouse gas emissions have already fallen by 24% compared to 1990. However, increased efforts are needed to make the transition to a European net zero economy in time. 

Our new projects capable of reducing GHG emissions (high cost/high impact on CO₂ reduction):  

• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)/Carbon Capture and Usage (CCU);
• Partial replacement of conventional biofuels with second generation biofuel (study required for feed availability) - New Biodiesel Plant, 250 kt/ year capacity and New Bioethanol Plant,50 kt/year capacity, both second generation;
• Increase share of biofuels in regular diesel components – Co-processing of vegetable oils in 122-Diesel Hydrotreater (DHT). Unit revamp is required to process spent or fresh vegetable oils for producing Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils - HVO (technical study required for unit revamp);
• Install new heater in the VD unit at Vega Refinery

 

Petromidia Refinery  

The major source of CO₂ emissions is from stationary and mobile equipment. Total CO₂ emissions in 2021 for Petromidia Refinery (SCOPE 1 + SCOPE 2) were 869,294 tons, considerably lower than in 2020, when total GHG emissions reached 992,592 tons, which was, in turn, lower than 2019, when the total CO₂ emissions recorded amounted to 1,211,014 tons. 

     

Vega Refinery 

Total CO₂ emissions in 2021 for Vega Refinery (SCOPE 1 + SCOPE 2) were 44,869 tons. The quantities corresponding to 2020 and 2019 were 48,465.7 tons, respectively 53,318.5 tons.

 

WASTE 

Petromidia Refinery - The waste generated by the company is managed in accordance with the legal provisions on waste management, embedded in internal procedures and instructions. 

98.5% of the total waste that left the Petromidia platform in 2021 was sent for recovery. 

Vega Refinery has contracts with authorized companies for the collection, transport and recovery/disposal of waste generated by the activities carried out on the entire site. 

Historical Waste (not resulting from normal production) from Vega Refinery landfill (14 lagoons) is located on the northern side of the refinery platform and covers an area of approximately 82,450 m². The lagoons have waterproof layers of compacted soil and bentonite.  

There is an ongoing project to clean the lagoons; the existing waste is treated and stored in waterproofed cells according to GED 757/2004. The total quantity treated and stored by the end of 2021 is 86,290 tons. 

 

In 2021, no spills recorded by either Petromidia or Vega refineries.