Two refineries in the European Union that process Russian crude reported separate incidents on 20 October, prompting emergency responses in Hungary and Romania. Both events were contained, with no ongoing risk to nearby communities, according to authorities and operators.
In Hungary, a fire broke out late on Monday at MOL Group’s Danube (Százhalombatta) Refinery, south of Budapest. The blaze originated in a processing unit and was tackled by the on-site brigade with support from regional fire services; no injuries were reported.
MOL stated it had begun restarting units unaffected by the fire while damage assessment and a technical investigation continue. Company disclosures indicated the incident was localised and operations are being stabilised in phases.
The Százhalombatta complex is Hungary’s principal refinery and typically runs Russian Urals delivered via the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline. Hungary remains heavily reliant on Russian crude delivered by pipeline under existing EU exemptions.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said he had spoken to the Interior Minister and that national fuel supply was secure. Local officials reported no air-quality readings requiring public health measures around the site.
In Romania, an explosion occurred around midday on Monday at the Petrotel-Lukoil refinery in Ploiești during maintenance activity. Authorities said the blast was not followed by fire; one contractor in his fifties was injured and taken to hospital in a stable condition.
Romanian outlets cited police and emergency services as saying the detonation occurred at an inspection manhole connected to a pipeline, with gas accumulation suspected during works. The refinery noted no reported environmental impact and confirmed the unit was under scheduled overhaul.
Petrotel-Lukoil, owned by Russia’s Lukoil, forms part of the Ploiești refining cluster and has historically processed Russian-origin crude. Local media reported that the affected area was secured and that an inquiry had been opened by the authorities.
The proximity in time of the incidents drew attention because both plants handle Russian grades, albeit under different arrangements. Hungary’s reliance on Druzhba crude remains significant, while Romania’s Petrotel has Russian ownership and a history of running Russian feedstock, even as EU measures restrict seaborne imports. There is no official indication of a link between the two events.
From a market perspective, immediate supply effects appear limited. MOL signalled continuity of product deliveries from unaffected units, and Hungarian officials reiterated security of supply. In Romania, the absence of a sustained fire reduced the likelihood of extensive downtime beyond maintenance checks.
Investigations will review technical factors at each site, including operating conditions within the Hungarian processing unit and confined-space maintenance procedures in Ploiești. Authorities in both countries said findings would be released following on-site assessments.
The incidents occur against a backdrop of regional discussions on Russian energy dependence and infrastructure resilience. Hungary has argued that pipeline supply via Druzhba remains essential to its economy, while EU policy continues to press for diversification from Russian hydrocarbons.
