Energy Minister, Bogdan Ivan, currently on an official visit to the U.S, announced Tuesday that the American government has given Romania a waiver to its sanctions regime to restart the Petrotel Lukoil refinery.
“We have received official confirmation from the U.S. government…. for Romania to restart the refinery, a waiver from the U.S. government to restart the Petrotel Lukoil refinery. It represents huge news for our country,” Mr. Ivan told Antena 3.
He said that the refinery would be operational again and produce diesel, gasoline, kerosene for Romania within 45 days.
“It’s an extremely important step forward. Some 21% of Romania’s production will be provided by this refinery and represents a main element of the stabilization of the fuel market in Romania,” the minister also said.
Washington also has granted a waiver to four Bulgarian subsidiaries of Russia’s Lukoil to continue operating just two weeks before a deadline that would have effectively forced them to shut down.
The extension, now valid until October, ensures the continued operation of the largest refinery in the Balkans, located in the Bulgarian Black Sea city of Burgas.
Caretaker Bulgarian Prime Minister Andrey Gurov said the waiver was secured following a conversation on Friday with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
Lukoil operates big refineries in Bulgaria and Romania. The Burgas facility is the largest in Southeastern Europe, with an annual processing capacity exceeding 7 million tonnes of crude oil. In comparison, Lukoil’s Romanian refinery, Petrotel in Ploiești, has a capacity of around 2.4 million tonnes and employs fewer than 500 workers.
The company also runs an extensive retail network, with approximately 320 petrol stations in Romania and 226 in Bulgaria. Once sanctions are fully enforced, banking services for these operations could face disruption.
Bugas’ previous license had been due to expire on 29 April 2026. The new extension allows the refinery to operate without disruption, securing fuel supplies both for Bulgaria and the wider region. It also guarantees the continued activity of Lukoil’s petrol station network, as well as companies supplying aviation and marine fuels.
The development comes as numerous U.S. military tanker aircrafts are currently stationed at Sofia airport for refueling operations, relying on Bulgarian infrastructure. The Burgas refinery is the largest producer of aviation fuel in the region. According to reports, Europe’s airports are staring down a potential systemic shortage of jet fuel that could disrupt the peak summer travel season.
Washington has already granted several such waivers for Lukoil’s overseas subsidiaries, aiming to provide time for the Russian company’s foreign assets to be sold. A package deal covering multiple assets remains possible, although individual sales are also under consideration.
To prevent any financial flows towards Russia, the Bulgarian government has taken control of the refinery from Russian management and appointed a state administrator.
At present, Lukoil’s refinery in Ploiești is undergoing major maintenance and is fully shut down, according to the company. Three days after the shutdown, an explosion occurred, injuring a worker.
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