Petrom entered diesel supply contract with Prio Biocombustibil

April 11, 2007

• Petrom to deliver diesel with a content of 2% biofuel starting July
• More than EUR 8 mn to be invested in Petrom refineries to blend diesel with biodiesel

Petrom, the largest oil and gas producer in South Eastern Europe, signed a contract for biodiesel supply with Prio Biocombustibil, a company belonging to the Portuguese group Martifer. According to this contract, in 2007, Prio Biocombustibil will deliver to Petrom a total quantity of 20,000 tons, while in 2008 the delivered quantity will increase up to 50,000 tons. The biodiesel will be blended with diesel in the two Petrom refineries and will be supplied on the Romanian market starting July this year.
Jeffrey Rinker, member of the Managing Committee of Petrom, responsible of Refining: “More than EUR 8 mn are destined to investments in Arpechim and Petrobrazi, so that we can include the biodiesel in the blend. We want to secure for our customers cleaner fuels, keeping the same performance parameters and meeting all quality and environment standards of the European Union”.
Prio Biocombustibil is the first local biodiesel producer who also benefits from the experience of Martifer group that operates a biodiesel plant in Portugal. Prio Biocombustibil will open the biodiesel plant at Lehliu Gara, before the end of the 1st semester of 2007.

Carlos Martins, CEO of Martifer Group, stated :" The partnership with Petrom shows our clear commitment in developing the biodiesel market in Romania and contributes for the country's environmental targets achievement. With an industrial capacity of 100.000 tones to be operational before the end of the 1st semester of 2007, Martifer shall be the first biodiesel producer in Romania. For the next three years, the Group intends to increase significantly its presence in Romania, by expanding its agriculture activities (rapeseed and sunflower), investing in a new oil extraction plant and doubling its biodiesel capacity."
The usage of biodiesel has major advantages as it helps reducing the global warming gas emission. Biodiesel is biodegradable, non toxic and does not contain sulfur.
„The biofuels production will increase the security of the fuel supply, as Romania has a great agricultural potential; in the same time, we have to consider the fact that this is a moment when new opportunities for local development arise”, added Jeffrey Rinker.