Croatian oil company INA has completed the Rijeka Refinery upgrade, the largest single investment in the company’s history and one of the biggest industrial projects in modern Croatia, costing nearly 700 million euros.
With the new Delayed Coking Unit and associated facilities, the refinery can now process up to four million tons of crude oil per year, including heavier grades. The upgrade optimises production, increasing yields of high-value products from the same amount of crude. Diesel production is expected to rise by around 30 per cent, and the import of vacuum gas oil (VGO), mostly of Russian origin, will no longer be needed.
The new refinery units were built of more than 10,000 tons of steel (almost one and a half Eiffel Towers), and 60,000 cubic meters of concrete, enough for a medium-sized soccer stadium.
The completion ceremony was attended by representatives from the Croatian and Hungarian governments, ambassadors, local communities, and INA and MOL Group management.
A green hydrogen plant at the Rijeka Refinery
Before the ceremony, a 15-million-euro grant agreement was signed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan for a green hydrogen plant at the site. INA is investing over 60 million euros in a 10-megawatt (MW) electrolyser and an 11 MW solar plant. The hydrogen will be used in transport and in the refinery. Completion is planned for the end of 2026, with production expected in 2027.
“We will now be able to utilise every barrel of crude oil more efficiently and remain competitive for many years to come,” said Zsuzsanna Ortutay, President of the Management Board of INA, adding that “a modern facility like this will support our transition to a lower-carbon economy. INA is already implementing renewable energy projects, and by the end of the year, a commercial green hydrogen production plant will be built here on site, the first of its kind in Croatia.”
“In times of geopolitical instability, robust and reliable energy infrastructure ensures a safer supply, a more stable market, and a more resilient economy,” said Ante Šušnjar, Minister of Economy of Croatia. “We expect the Rijeka Refinery to operate stably, sustainably, and at full capacity, benefitting Croatia’s economy, energy system, and our partners in the region.”
“This is a great day for Croatia. This is a great day for Hungary,” said Levente Magyar, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary. “This is a great day for the energy security of our region because we deeply believe that energy security in this region is indivisible. This is a historical step in the right direction of reinforcing our joint and common energy sovereignty and energy security.”
