Crude oil imports up over 10 pct in first eight months of 2021
Romania has imported, in the first eight months of 2021, 4.837 million tons of oil equivalent (toe) in oil, by 452,000 toe (10.3) more than the quantity imported in the similar period of 2020, according to data centralized by the National Institute for Statistics (INS).
The oil production exceeded 2.085 million toe, by 4.7 pct (102,400) lower than in the previous year.
According to estimates of the National Strategy and Forecast Commission, oil production is estimated to total this year 3.275 million toe (minus 3.2 pct over 2020) and 3.2 million toe (minus 2.3 pct) in 2022. Imports are estimated at 8.425 (plus 20.7 pct) this year, and 8.815 million toe in 2022 (plus 4.6 pct).
The Energy Strategy project, published on the website of the Energy Ministry, estimates that oil production will maintain its slow decline between 2030 and 2050, from 22 to 13 TWh (1.93 to 1.15 million toe). Increasing dependence of imports cannot be avoided in the medium and long-term except by encouraging exploration and production activities, as well as by increasing the efficiency of fossil fuel consumption, the project mentions.