Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Péter Szijjártó, confirmed that the Druzhba pipeline will remain Hungary’s primary oil supply route, as recent tests on the Adriatic JANAF pipeline indicated insufficient capacity. The Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian oil through Belarus and Ukraine to Hungary and Slovakia, delivered 3.9 million tons of crude oil to Hungary last year.
However, Croatian oil transport company JANAF, which operates the Adriatic pipeline, has responded to these claims, stating that tests conducted on the pipeline have provided clear data on its capacity, confirming that it is fully capable of supplying the two refineries owned by the MOL Group in Hungary and Slovakia. JANAF also dismissed suggestions that it had failed to invest in adequate infrastructure, explaining that the use of DRA (Drag-Reducing Agent) additives had boosted the oil flow from its Omisalj terminal to the Hungarian border.
According to JANAF, pipeline tests conducted in February 2023 in coordination with MOL showed that the pipeline could transport up to 1.2 million tons of crude oil per month, which would fully meet the needs of MOL’s refineries. Additional testing in August 2024 demonstrated that the pipeline could transport more oil than the refineries in Hungary and Slovakia could process. With the addition of DRA additives, JANAF claims that the pipeline could achieve an annual capacity between 13 to 16.4 million tons, depending on the number of pumps used.
Despite JANAF’s assertions, Hungary’s decision to continue relying on the Druzhba pipeline reflects ongoing concerns over the Adriatic pipeline’s ability to fully meet Hungary’s and Slovakia’s oil requirements. The dispute highlights the challenges facing oil transportation infrastructure in the region amid shifting energy dynamics and supply routes.
