The Serbian Ministry of Environmental Protection approved the Environmental Impact Assessment Study for the construction of a main oil pipeline connecting the Hungarian border with Novi Sad.
This marks an important milestone towards the implementation of a project intended to provide Serbia with an additional supply route for crude oil and contribute to strengthening its energy security.
The project proponent is Transnafta Pančevo, a company that submitted a request for approval of the environmental impact study during the summer.
The pipeline is planned to transport crude oil from Hungary, through whose territory passes the Druzhba oil pipeline - one of the key supply routes for the European market. The system is designed to transport REB (Russian Export Blend) type crude oil.
113-kilometre-long oil pipeline to pass through Vojvodina
The starting point of the pipeline will be located near the Horgoš border crossing, north-east of the settlement of the same name, whilst the end of the route is planned at Transnafta’s terminal in Novi Sad.
The section within Serbian territory will be approximately 113 kilometres long, and the pipeline will be laid underground along its entire length. The projected capacity is 5.5 million tonnes of crude oil per year.
The route will stretch from north to south through Vojvodina and will encompass the municipalities of Kanjiža, Senta, Ada, Bečej, and Žabalj, as well as the territory of the City of Novi Sad.
Mandatory environmental protection measures
The approval obtained also obliges Transnafta to apply the prescribed environmental protection measures during both the construction and operation of the pipeline.
Monitoring the potential impacts of the project on the environment is of particular importance, as is implementing preventive measures aimed at averting or mitigating negative effects on nature and the local population.
Protection measures apply to both the regular operation of the system and extraordinary circumstances, including potential breakdowns and technical issues. The project must be carried out in accordance with current Serbian laws and regulations.
The decision of the Ministry of Environmental Protection is final in administrative proceedings. Interested citizens, organisations, and institutions can inspect the documentation at the Ministry’s premises in Belgrade or via the institution's official website.
(EUpravo zato/ekapija.com)