Explosion at Hungary’s Main Oil Refinery, Which Processes Russian Crude

A powerful explosion occurred at Hungary’s MOL oil refinery, which processes Russian crude, Magyar Nemzet reported.

The plant is considered the largest and most modern in the country. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán stated that the country’s fuel supply remains stable.

“We will conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the fire at the Százhalombatta refinery,” Orbán wrote on Facebook.

According to the newspaper, the explosion was followed by a fire that broke out in the evening. The blaze has been contained, and safety measures are underway. The cause of the incident is being investigated, and no injuries have been reported.

Magyar Nemzet also wrote that MOL will focus on ensuring oil supplies to Hungary and will consider using its strategic reserves if necessary.

According to Reuters, MOL’s refineries in Hungary and Slovakia receive crude oil through the southern branch of the Druzhba pipeline, which carries Russian oil. In October 2024, the company announced plans to increase the share of non-Russian crude processing to 100% by the end of 2026. MOL had initially aimed to complete this transition by early 2026, but additional investment needs have caused delays.

Representatives of MOL said that the major fire at the refinery was not caused by a terrorist act, explosion, or any deliberate external interference.

“We did not record an explosion. The inspection is ongoing, but according to our current information, there are no signs of any external impact,” said Kristián Pulai, MOL Group’s Production Director, at a press conference in Budapest. He explained that the loud bang heard by people nearby was caused by the ignition of a gas mixture.

A day earlier, an explosion occurred at the Petrotel-Lukoil refinery in Romania, which is operated by the Romanian subsidiary of Russia’s Lukoil. This refinery is one of Romania’s largest, with an annual processing capacity of 2.5 million tons. At the time of the explosion, the refinery was not operating, as it had been shut down on October 17 for scheduled maintenance. However, a 57-year-old worker was injured in the incident.