Environment

Our environmental approach

The oil and gas sector is crucial for addressing global energy demands, yet it must also reconcile these requirements with ecological preservation. Aware of the consequences our operations bear on both the environment and neighboring communities, we are dedicated to reducing these impacts through mindful practices and ongoing enhancement.

We are committed to advancing environmental stewardship to protect the air, water, and land in our areas of operations and we consistently invest in innovative and cost-effective solutions that are guaranteed to drive further responsible development.

We acknowledge the responsibility to be compliant with applicable environmental regulations in the locations where we operate, and to diminish the impacts we produce. Thus, we strive every day to improve our performance and we continually prepare to respond to future challenges and opportunities, while minimizing our impact.

Our environmental strategy and objectives cover regulatory compliance processes and procedures, responsibility assignment, training, emergency preparedness, alignment with the best techniques available in the industry (BAT/ BREF), monitoring and measurement, and environmental investments, as well as regular auditing of our performance.

We have a multifaceted approach to environmental management encompassing regulatory compliance, risk management, stakeholder engagement, and a commitment to transparency, aiming not just to meet but to exceed the industry standards.

We have various programs in place to assess environmental aspects for each location, manage potential environmental risks and mitigate impacts. They reflect upon the specific of the company’s activity and include the following:

Environmental Management program
Waste Management program
Investment program approved at the company level (projects carried out mainly in the operational activity and which aim to reduce the impact on the environment and communities).

Rompetrol is committed to contribute to Romania’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

Climate-related risks and opportunities are integrated into our Risk Management process aimed at identifying, assessing, and managing business-related risks. Climate-related risks are identified using the standardized methodology of the Enterprise Risk management process.

Scenarios consistent with the goal of limiting the global temperature increase to no more than 2° C by reducing GHG emissions are of utmost importance for our strategic considerations as they imply fundamental changes to the current energy market. We are aware of the potential risk if we cannot fully operate due to exceeding the global carbon budget. During the strategy development and planning processes, we have considered scenarios reflecting various aspects of potential economic, technological, and social developments, along with their implications for the energy market and, consequently, for business.

During 2023, the Climate Risk Management Procedure was implemented. This procedure also states that the Board of Directors (BoD) has the responsibility to review the Group's climate risk assessments annually.

All parties involved contribute to the development of a risk mitigation plan, which is approved by local and Group management and then shared with relevant departments and responsible roles.

To find out more about our environmental impact you can visit the websites of the affiliated companies:

Biodiversity is the pillar that allows ecosystems to function and humans to thrive.

We place the UN Sustainable Development Goals in all its dimensions, focusing on direct contributions through its responsible business approach: SDG 14 Life below water and SDG 15 Life on land.

Our biodiversity policy and conservation efforts underscore our deep commitment to responsible environmental stewardship. Through proactive management, integration of biodiversity in our decision-making, impact mitigation, and transparent reporting, we strive to contribute positively to global biodiversity conservation.

Rompetrol Rafinare – Petromidia (Năvodari) is located in the vicinity of Natura 2000 Sites, at approximately 300 m from the Special Protection Area ROSPA 0060 Tașaul-Corbu Lakes and 1.35 km from ROSPA0076 Black Sea. Also, the last stage of the Wastewater Treatment Plant (the biological ponds) are located on the territory of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve.

Rompetrol Energy is located outside the natural protected area with biodiversity sites. However, it is situated in the vicinity of several Natura 2000 Sites:

approx. 300 m from the Special Protection Area ROSPA 0060 Tașaul-Corbu Lakes;
1.35 km to ROSPA0076 Black Sea;
5 km to Danube Delta.

Environmental impact assessment prior to implementation is made to avoid a potential negative impact on biodiversity, for each new project we conduct an. This assessment identifies, describes, and evaluates, as appropriate in each case, the significant direct and indirect effects of a project considering the following factors:

population and human health;
biodiversity, paying special attention to protected species;
the impact on land, soil, water, air and climate;
material assets, cultural heritage and landscape.

For more details please see the 2023 Sustainabililty Report here.

Photo Credit: Cornel Cotorogea

The main source of emissions for Rompetrol are the refining processes.

Every year, the company drafts its budget for the upcoming 5 years and the price of EU Allowances for GHG are included in this process, thus influencing investment decisions. The Financial Risk Management Department provides the estimations for the EUAs prices after analyzing forecasts from the main carbon agencies in the market. Considering EU’s ambitious target, prices for EU Allowances are expected to increase in the following years, putting pressure on Rompetrol Rafinare’s financial results. This financial risk has been mitigated by using a hedge program for the necessary volumes of EUAs in the first stage of Phase 4 (2021-2025). Rompetrol Rafinare has access to financial derivative instruments to accomplish its hedge program and lock-in the price for the next 5 years.

Greenhouse gas emissions are regularly monitored and controlled through operational KPIs. According to its GHG emissions management strategy, Rompetrol Rafinare carries out specific activities, grouped under two strategic directions, aimed at mitigating emissions and reducing the CO2 impact.

Air monitoring indicators are reported daily/monthly/annually to the environmental authorities, demonstrating compliance with the requirements of applicable legislation.

Greenhouse gas emissions of KMGI include emissions that are directly caused by our own activity as well as the emissions generated along the value chain that are material and controlled by KMGI.

The two KMGI refineries and Rompetrol Energy fall under the provisions of HG no. 780/2006 regarding the establishment of the commercialization scheme of greenhouse gas emissions certificates, with subsequent amendments and additions, must draw up, annually, a GHG emissions monitoring report.

The inventory of GHG emissions includes all relevant KMGI companies and activities selected based on operational control criterion 100% operated by KMGI.

Environmental Strategy and Commitment:

Rompetrol emphasizes compliance with regulatory standards and a commitment to environmental stewardship, aiming to exceed industry standards
The company's approach includes regulatory compliance, risk management, stakeholder engagement, and transparency.

Environmental Management Initiatives:

Rompetrol has a comprehensive strategy for environmental management, covering regulatory compliance, emergency preparedness, environmental investments, and performance audits
The company aligns with Best Available Techniques (BAT/BREF) and implements monitoring systems to oversee environmental impact

Climate Change Strategy & Climate-Related Risks:

Rompetrol acknowledges the need to address climate change and its associated risks, implementing targeted programs to manage potential risks and mitigate impacts.
The company has developed a Climate Risk Management Procedure, mandating annual reviews of climate risk assessments by the Board of Directors.

You may see more on our emissions level from the 2023 Sustainability Report.

Water is essential for life, and for the economy and plays a fundamental role in climate change management. The main focus of Rompetrol water management is to reduce freshwater use and ensure there are no emissions to water above the limit values specified by the Water Permit/legal framework.
Rompetrol Rafinare has dedicated internal procedures in place documenting water management. They address water quality monitoring, verification, and maintenance of wastewater transport facilities, sealing and isolation of structures/basins, monitoring of technological processes, checking the quality of process water from the intake to discharge.
All specific pollutants (mentioned in the permits) are monitored in the discharged water, with different frequencies (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly).

The Accidental Pollution Prevention and Control Plan contains rules and procedures for the management of a possible incident and establishes immediate intervention and control measures to limit the impact and secure the technological installations. Discharges to water are managed by reporting on water emissions in an open and transparent manner and using targets to track company progress regarding water management. Communities and authorities are regularly informed about activities that may have a greater impact on the loading of pollutants into the discharged water (turnarounds, overhauls, technical incidents).

For Petromidia Refinery freshwater withdrawal represented 100% of total water withdrawn and the water recirculation coefficient was 97% for cooling water.

The freshwater supply is provided through a single source. Consumption is monitored via a certified debit-meter and consumption data is collected internally on a daily basis and by the public provider with a monthly frequency. The filtered water from Rompetrol Rafinare comes from the Wastewater Treatment Plant and goes into the Chemical Plant, where it is chemically transformed into demi-water, which has three different destinations:

Rompetrol Rafinare for process water;
boilers for steam production;
local community as hot water (for approx. 1,500 residential buildings).

Freshwater consumption has been managed efficiently across the years, with 3,004 thousand cubic meters consumed in 2023. A significant portion of water is reused within our operations, with 18.1% of total fresh water consumed in 2023 being recycled.

The discharged water volumes have steadily decreased, reaching 8,702 thousand cubic meters in 2023 (including the domestic waste water from Navodari sewage). This reflects not only the scale of our operations but also our comprehensive treatment processes that ensure water is returned to the environment safely.

There was no exceeding of the concentrations value limit for pollutants discharged (including priority dangerous substances) in 2023.

For more details on water management please see the 2023 Sustainabililty Report here.

At Group level - the generated waste is managed in accordance with the legal provisions on waste management which are embedded in internal procedures and instructions, ensuring specific waste handling practices like selective collection, appropriate temporary storage, waste recovery or disposal by authorized operators, and comprehensive waste traceability from creation to disposal, maintained for a minimum of three year. These are communicated to all service providers/subcontractors/tenants, who carry out their activity on company sites and they are included in the related contractual documents/clauses (e.g.: HSE Convention).

Efforts to prevent environmental contamination include the strategic placement of euro containers and designated storage areas to prevent soil and water pollution and mitigate air emissions. Petromidia and Vega platforms are equipped with appropriately marked containers and storage areas, minimizing environmental impact. The company also focuses on reducing packaging waste through the use of reusable containers, bulk chemical purchases, and durable or renewable catalysts.

Waste Management

Policy: enhanced waste segregation & sorting, recycling, and preventing and reduction initiatives.
Impact: positive impacts include minimized environmental pollution and conservation of natural resources. A potential negative impact is the cost associated with developing more sophisticated waste management systems.
Relevance: effective waste management is essential for reducing environmental pollution and aligning with regulatory compliance.
Future actions: strengthening waste preventing and reduction and recycling programs, increasing recycling targets, exploring innovative waste-to-energy solutions, and enhancing partnerships for sustainable waste management.

All categories of generated waste are recovered or disposed by certified companies.

Waste sources and streams are identified and monitored from generation to recovery/final disposal. Each member company identifies the categories of waste generated by own activity and documents them accordingly. Depending on the waste category, they are temporarily stored in dedicated locations for recovery/disposal. The entire flow, from generation to recovery/elimination is documented in internal procedures and plans (“Waste management” procedure, waste management yearly plan) and verified during the internal audit process and through internal and external inspections. The waste management flow considers the application of waste hierarchy (prevention - preparation for reuse - recycling – other recovery operations, e.g.: energy recovery - disposal).

In 2023, 95% of the total waste that left the platform Petromida was sent for recovery.

Vega Refinery

Authorized companies are contracted for the collection, transport, and recovery/disposal of all site-generated waste and comprehensive waste records are maintained for each waste category,

All waste management practices are designed to minimize environmental impact,

For more details on waste amnagement please see the 2023 Sustainabililty Report here.

At KMGI Group, we are committed to achieve zero instances of accidental spills across all our operations.
Rompetrol Rafinare has a complex set of plans and procedures in place to prevent accidental releases of hydrocarbons or other materials into the environment. Each unit has a dedicated operations manual, comprehensive emergency response plans and crisis management procedures.

Both Petromidia and Vega refineries are SEVESO sites and fall under the scope of legislation on the control of major accident hazards involving dangerous substances. In compliance with the required regulations, Rompetrol Rafinare ensures the development, implementation and continuous improvement of a Safety Management System (SMS) in order to prevent the occurrence and to eliminate/minimize the effects of major accidents.

In 2023, no significant spills were recorded by Rompetrol Group companies.

For more details about preventilg spills please see the 2023 Sustainabililty Report here.