Vega refinery in Ploiesti, a pillar of Romanian energy for 120 years
Established during a period when oil processing was a global first, Vega is among the pioneers of the Romanian refining sector.
“The Vega refinery is an actual illustration of professionalism and adaptability. From the Edeleanu process, which was created in the laboratories of Ploiesti and subsequently applied to 70–80 refineries globally, to the shift to contemporary technologies and products that are essential to maintaining the country's economy. Since we are the only producer of hexane and bitumen in Romania at the moment, we position ourselves as unique, unconventional refinery with a clear strategic role in the local and regional economy. Florian Pop, General Manager of Rompetrol Rafinare, stated, “Vega has been and continues to be a pillar of stability for many partners, having also played an important role in the evolution of the oil industry in Romania, with a tradition of about 170 years.”
The Romanian refinery with the smallest capacity, Vega Ploiesti, produces about 400,000 tons of petroleum products annually, but it adds value to the market by developing niche petroleum products.
Since 2004, Vega refinery no longer processes crude oil and no longer produces automotive fuels, being in perfect synergy with Petromidia refinery in Navodari, which provides the raw material required for its operational flow.
Vega refinery is the only producer and one of the largest in Europe of hexane. This refinery's special solvent not only fully covers Romania's domestic demand, but also meets a significant portion of those of other EU members. Hexane is used in various sectors, such as petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and in the food industry, where it is successfully used as an extraction agent.
In addition, the refinery produces road bitumen, which meets 20% of Romania's internal requirements. All of the bitumen produced is sold on the domestic market. The polymer-modified bitumen, which is notable for its high resistance to wear and temperature variations as well as increased elasticity that can double its service life, is another product that the refinery can produce.
Other products are added to these, like solvents (white spirit), gasoline for chemization (naphtha and light naphtha), heating fuel (calor and light heating oil).
With almost 75,000 tons of raw materials processed in the first quarter of 2025 – a 23% increase over the same period the previous year – the level of production was on the rise.
For the year 2025, Rompetrol Rafinare aims to process volumes in Vega by about 25% to 400,000 tons, and bitumen sales are estimated at 86,000 tons, approximately 15% higher than the previous year, as well as hexane, which is estimated to reach almost 100,000 tons.
The Vega refinery is operated by Rompetrol Rafinare, the company that also runs Petromidia in Navodari, Romania's biggest refinery.
The significant shareholders of Rompetrol Rafinare are KMG International (54.63%, directly and indirectly) and the Romanian State, represented through the Ministry of Energy (44.7%).
Short history – Vega refinery, one of the vectors of the Romanian refining industry
Romania is internationally recognized as the first country in the world with an official production of crude oil, recorded in 1857, when the country produced 275 tons. It was followed on this path by countries such as the United States (1859), Italy (1860) and Canada (1862).
Ploiesti and the surrounding areas were and still are reference points for the industry, with the first refinery being built in Rafov in 1856. Thereafter, the segment developed steadily until the beginning of the 20th century, when large refineries began to appear.
In 1904, the Disconto Gesellschaft (one of the preferential banks of the Romanian state at that time) together with French investors announced the intention to build a refinery in the northern part of Ploiesti. A year later, the Vega refinery was established, with Titu Maiorescu as vice-president of the board of directors.
In 1908, Lazar Edeleanu paved the way for quality petroleum products by developing the method that bears his name. The 'Edeleanu' process was developed in a Vega laboratory and involved the selective extraction and refining of aromatic hydrocarbons.
Further development led Vega refinery to rank 2nd in 1919 in terms of production capacity out of a total of 46 refineries in operation at the time. Then, in the Second World War, the refinery was affected by the bombing (1941, 1943 and 1944).
After the fall of the communist regime, during which Vega operated integrated with all the refineries in the country, the Ploiesti plant was close to collapse but was saved by Rompetrol in 1999.
The 2000s are characterized by massive investments, which led to the emergence of new units – dearomatization and polymer modified bitumen. Since 2007, after the transition under new ownership (KazMunayGas), Vega has been caught up in a program of extensive modernization - hexane, bitumen, vacuum distillation plants are being upgraded and upgraded, and in 2018 the refinery exceeds, for the first time since 1989, the threshold of 400,000 tons of raw materials processed.
Communication and Public Relations Department
KMG Internationa