Romanian authorities are examining whether Russia deliberately contaminated a large shipment of Azerbaijani crude oil bound for the country’s Petrobrazi refinery, in what officials believe could be part of a broader hybrid operation targeting European energy security. The oil, transported via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey before being shipped to Romania, was found to contain dangerously high levels of organic chlorides. According to G4Media.ro, such contamination could have caused severe corrosion to refinery equipment, risking a nationwide fuel crisis.
Emergency measures to protect energy infrastructure
On 4 August, Romania’s energy ministry declared a state of emergency in crude oil supply, ordering the release of tens of thousands of tonnes from strategic reserves to maintain refinery operations. The pipeline operator BTC Pipeline Company confirmed that several storage tanks at its terminal had been affected by corrosive agents. Deliveries to the port of Constanța were cancelled, creating a temporary feedstock shortage at Petrobrazi. Investigators believe the contamination could have been carried out by injecting chlorine into the pipeline — a method that would require only a limited number of tanker trucks.
Impact across Europe
The same contaminated shipment also reached other European countries. Italy’s ENI confirmed to Reuters that one of its refineries received crude with elevated chlorine content, while Czech energy group Orlen Unipetrol suspended operations to avoid potential damage. Experts warn that such incidents highlight systemic vulnerabilities in the EU’s energy supply chain, underscoring the need for coordinated quality control, monitoring of transit hubs and rapid response mechanisms to mitigate both economic and political fallout.
Possible hybrid warfare strategy
Kyiv has suggested the contamination fits a known Russian pattern of using energy disruptions to undermine trust in alternative suppliers and destabilise European unity. Even without conclusive proof of sabotage, the incident could erode confidence in Azerbaijan as a strategic oil partner, playing to Moscow’s advantage in the global energy market. Organic chlorides are particularly destructive to refining equipment, making deliberate contamination a cost-effective tactic in hybrid conflict. However, Romanian officials stress that final conclusions must be based on independent chemical and forensic analysis before any EU-wide political, economic or security measures are adopted.
