Petrochemical industry in Romania

rdf:langString Petrochemical industry in Romania

rdf:langString The territory of present-day Romania started producing oil in 1857; oil facilities became an important strategic military target in 1916 during World War I. The Kingdom of Romania was the largest producer of oil in Europe during World War II (with the exception of USSR whose primary oil source was in Azerbaijan), and the oil extracted from Romania was essential for Axis military operations. Allied bombers attacked the Romanian petrochemical industry near Ploiești heavily (see Operation Tidal Wave) before the Soviet Red Army occupied the oilfields in August 1944. After the war, significant reconstruction and expansion took place under the communist regime. Since 1989, most of the industry has been privatized. Possessing substantial oil-refining capacities, present-day Romania has a particular interest in the Central Asia-Europe pipelines and seeks to strengthen its relations with some Arab States of the Persian Gulf. With 10 refineries and an overall refining-capacity of approximately 504,000 bbl/d (80,100 m3/d), Romania has the largest refining industry in the eastern European region. Romania's refining-capacity output far exceeds domestic demand for refined petroleum products, allowing the country to export a wide range of oil products and petrochemicals — such as lubricants, bitumen, and fertilizers — throughout the eastern European region.