INA is committed to environmental protection and works responsibly to permanently solve the problem of historical pollution at the location of the Rijeka Refinery. We use proven global practices and modern technologies in collaboration with leading experts. Our commitment to this goal remains firm, with a clear focus on preserving the environment and a secure future for our community.
REMEDIATION ACTION PLAN FOR THE PENINSULA SUBSOIL
Frequently asked questions:
- What is the plan for the remediation of the Urinj peninsula subsoil?
- What technologies will be used, what are the foreseen deadlines and what are the financial resources for this project approved by the Management Board and Supervisory Board?
- What is the plan to prevent the spread of oil slicks during heavy rains and/or strong southern winds?
The occurrence of oil film is a consequence of the penetration of hydrocarbons from the permeable karst underground that have accumulated subsoil through several decades of refinery operation and as such represent historical pollution. Our employees continuously implement the so-called active (measures related to the elimination of consequences) and passive (measures related to the prevention of pollution) protection of the sea and control of the coastal zone. At the same time, the subsoil condition is continuously supervising and the sewage system is checked. In order to permanently resolve the situation with residual hydrocarbons in the subsoil of the refinery from June 2023 to November 2024, INA has made 21 new wells in the refinery area, four of which are located outside the refinery area, near the fence. These wells enable better and more efficient extraction of hydrocarbons from karst soil, which means that the quantities that could potentially penetrate from the subsoil to the sea are immediately reduced, and thus pollution is permanently reduced. Also, 20 new submersible pumps that continuously remove hydrocarbons accumulated in karst soil were purchased between September and November 2023. In order to improve the protection of the sea and prevent the spread of pollution during adverse weather conditions, the procurement of new ocean dams of about 220 metres in length was contracted to replace the old dams prone to damage during strong southern winds. New ocean dams will be installed as soon as anchoring systems are built on the maritime domain, which requires permits from the relevant services. The application for a building permit has been submitted. Solid anchoring is necessary for dams to be reliable even during bad weather conditions.
Also, geophysical surveys were conducted in the first half of this year to determine the position of geological boundaries, the position of faults and crack systems, and detect possible places of accumulation of hydrocarbons in the underground, but also enable better positioning of the previously mentioned wells for pumping hydrocarbons from the subsoil.
In the process of permanent rehabilitation, INA also consults international experts, and a tender with the aim of securing the services of some of the world’s renowned and proven successful companies specialising in demanding rehabilitations is underway. The contracting of these services is expected to further contribute to the detection of all possible solutions that should permanently prevent any further leakage of hydrocarbons from the underground into the sea. At the same time, continuous cooperation continues with an authorised hydrogeological consulting company that helps us understand and manage groundwater. Sewage, tanks and bunds remediation projects continue, as we regularly carry them out with the aim of preventing any leakage of hydrocarbons from refinery plants and storage facilities to the subsoil.
It is clear from all of the above that INA is aware of the seriousness of the situation and is continuously taking measures aimed at a permanent solution and immediate mitigation of the consequences. During 2023 and 2024, INA invested about EUR 4.5 million in the aforementioned remediation activities (geophysical exploration, new wells and pumps, sewage systems rehabilitation, etc.) and sea protection in the refinery area. And this shows that our goal is to preserve the environment and operate responsibly.
AIR QUALITY CONTROL SYSTEM
Frequently asked questions:
- Does the plan include the establishment of a new air quality control system with the starting point in the refinery as a source of point pollution?
- If so, what are the deadlines for the implementation of this system and what financial resources have been approved by the Management Board and the Supervisory Board?
In accordance with the obligation from the Environmental Permit, the Rijeka Refinery continuously monitors the prescribed air quality parameters at four locations. The location of the measuring stations and their number are determined by the expected emissions at each individual location and the specifics of the environment. Air quality monitoring at the source of pollution takes place at the In Inženjering station. The In Inženjering measuring station is located on the refinery fence, in the immediate vicinity of the refinery plants, and shows how much the refinery directly affects the air quality. In the area of the settlements closest to refinery, air quality is monitored at the Paveki and Vrh Martinšćice stations. In the area of the prevailing wind component, monitoring is performed at the Krasica station, which is also the farthest station from the refinery, located in the area of the town of Bakar.
The justification of the current locations of the measuring stations is also confirmed by the decision of the competent ministry following the comprehensive environmental impact study conducted for the purpose of building an oil production and refining plant, i.e. the heavy residue processing unit. The decision stipulates that even after the construction of the heavy residue processing unit, the Rijeka Refinery is obliged to monitor the air quality at the existing measuring stations.
During 2020 and 2021, the measuring stations were renovated and modernised – all measuring analysers were replaced with new ones. The management of the system of refinery measuring stations was entrusted with the Teaching Institute for Public Health of the Primorje-Gorski Kotar County (NZJZ PGŽ) as an independent professional institution, and the results of the measurements are available to the public on the website of the Institute, as well as on the portal “Kvaliteta zraka u Republici Hrvatskoj” (“Air Quality in the Republic of Croatia”). The existing system is functional and transparent and monitors the direct environmental impact of refinery operations. Should the need arise to establish a new air quality control system at any time and for any justified reason, INA will certainly react in a timely manner.
RECONSTRUCTION OF THE FCC PLANT
Frequently asked questions:
- What is the current situation with the reconstruction of the FCC plant, and have there been any issues during the works? If so, what were they?
There is currently no project in the refinery called Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) Reconstruction. As part of the regular overhaul that was completed at the beginning of this year, several capital projects were implemented at the FCC plant, as well as a large scope of works on the existing equipment to ensure the reliability and safety of the plant’s operation in the upcoming period. Also, investments are continuously made in the FCC plant, as well as in other production facilities in the refinery, through preventive maintenance and through various capital projects. In operations as complex as the oil refining process, minor plant work can sometimes take place, but they do not have a significant impact on overall production. The FCC plant is operational, and its shutdown is not planned.
MODERNISATION OF THE RIJEKA REFINERY
Frequently asked questions:
- What is the current timetable for the reconstruction/modernisation of the refinery in Urinj?
The Rijeka Refinery Upgrade Project is currently the largest and most valuable industrial project in Croatia, in which INA is investing almost EUR 700 million. The project is currently in its final phase, reaching 91% of completion. The engineering and contracting have been completed, the procurement is at 99%, and the construction is at 85% of the realisation. We expect the project to be completed 2025, which will be followed by commissioning.