No Deal on Adria Oil Pipeline Tests as Slovakia Seeks Alternative to Druzhba

Slovakia has yet to finalize testing of the Adria oil pipeline as an alternative to the disrupted Druzhba route. The outcome will determine whether the line can support crude flows to Central Europe.

(Reuters) — Slovak refiner Slovnaft has yet to reach agreement with Croatia on testing the capacity of the Adria oil pipeline, a key alternative route for crude supply following disruptions to the Druzhba system.

The Adria pipeline has become increasingly important for Slovakia and Hungary after the Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian crude via Ukraine, went offline in late January. While shipments through Adria have enabled Slovnaft to restore refinery operations, uncertainty remains over whether the system can support sustained supply levels.

Slovnaft CEO Gabriel Szabo said testing under varying operating conditions is needed to confirm the pipeline’s capacity. Plans to begin testing in March have been delayed due to unresolved issues between Hungarian group MOL and Croatian pipeline operator JANAF.

Despite the uncertainty, Slovnaft’s refinery is now running near full capacity after securing non-Russian crude via seaborne deliveries through Adria. However, processing flexibility remains limited as the refinery adapts to alternative crude blends.

The outcome of the Adria tests will be critical in determining long-term supply options for Central Europe as countries seek to reduce reliance on Russian oil.