Pancevo could become a center of oil and petroleum products reservoir for the stockpiles of Republic of Serbia. Representatives of “Transnafta” and its German partner, the company “Oiltanking”, talked about it with municipality representatives.
A few years ago the Public Enterprise “Transnafta” planned to build a reservoir for oil and petroleum products behind “Refinery”, which would serve as Serbia stockpiles. In the meantime, it was decided to increase the capacity previously planned, because “Transnafta” reached an agreement on public-private partnership with the German company “Oiltanking”.
– According to the existing documentation, hinterland of “Refinery” is planned for the reservoirs. They could immediately begin work, if they have the means, but it is also necessary to draft a new detailed regulation plan for increasing the reservoir capacity. A letter of intent also was submitted – says Elena Batinic, a member of the City Council of Pancevo responsible for the economy.
Even in 2009th was launched the initiative to draft a detailed regulation plan for the area behind the “Refinery”. Directorate for the construction did it, but with capacities that are slightly smaller than it is planned now. Specifically, eight tanks of 5,000 cubic meters of oil were envisaged, and now it is scheduled eight reservoirs of 15,000 cubic meters, said Batinic, reports RTV “Pancevo”.
In order to assess the opportunities and benefits of other locations, the delegation of “Transnafta” and the German “Oiltanking” after talks with Mayor Pavle Radanov in mid-June, visited “Azotara” channel. In addition to these sites, there is the idea that the reservoir may be placed in the “Petrohemija”.
– One location is, as it is well known, in the hinterland of the “Refinery”, which is intended for that by planning documentation, and the other two are related to the areas that are not under our jurisdiction. This is a factory “Azotara” and “Petrohemija”, which are undergoing reconstruction. It is a story that will end at the state level and the Privatization Agency – said Jelena Batinic.
After the meeting a member of the City Council Jelena Batinic said that Pancevo submitted that, bearing in mind the intention of investors to expand the reservoir capacity, it has to meet all the European standards for the environment protection, accidents and pollution.
– There is a possibility that we can provide them such a space, if they meet all environmental standards, which should show a detailed design and feasibility study – said Jelena Batinic.
Together with the German “Oiltanking”, “Transnafta” will estimate which location would matched them for the construction of the reservoir, which is an investment of around 50 MEUR.
Otherwise, “Oiltanking” was involved in the construction of 70 reservoirs for oil and petroleum products in the world, of which one-fifth is in Germany.