Last week, Hungarian oil company MOL and Croatian state-owned transporter JANAF conducted joint tests on the JANAF pipeline, but results did not confirm that the system can sustain long-term crude oil flows to Hungary and Slovakia. According to MOL, the pipeline was only able to operate at the required capacity for short periods of one to two hours.
The plan was for both sides to gradually increase pressure and pump levels during the trial in order to reach and maintain maximum throughput. However, MOL reported that just before the test began, JANAF announced that peak performance could only be maintained for one hour before pressure had to be reduced. Soon after the trial started, JANAF stopped operations entirely, citing an electrical failure, which left the system offline for more than an hour. Even when flows resumed, disruptions continued, with pressure drops on the Croatian side. JANAF then requested that MOL lower the pressure, leaving the pipeline operating below full efficiency.
MOL and JANAF have conducted several previous tests on the Croatian section, though earlier ones were smaller in scope. This September marked the beginning of a broader, months-long cycle designed to assess whether the southern route can consistently handle large transport volumes of crude oil.
MOL stressed that the JANAF pipeline already plays a key role in Central Europe’s energy security but said its importance needs to grow. To fully replace eastern supply routes, the Croatian section would need to reliably transport 40,000 tons of crude oil per day, or about 14 million tons annually. This level is critical not only to keep refineries running but also to maintain strategic oil reserves.
The company noted that it had invested 170 million dollars before the war to develop alternative southern infrastructure and has since spent several hundred million more to diversify crude sources. Still, MOL emphasized that refinery adjustments alone are not enough—the region requires a clear evaluation of the Adriatic pipeline’s condition and capabilities. In its view, two commercially viable and technically reliable pipelines are necessary to secure stable crude oil supplies for the long term.
