Last Friday, September 25, a vessel carrying 90,000 tonnes of Libyan El Sharara crude oil arrived at the port of Kulevi on the Black Sea coast in Georgia. It was the second Libyan delivery for the Kulevi Oil Refinery in less than a month, following the first cargo in August. Black Sea Petroleum (BSP), a privately owned company based in Georgia, owns and operates the Kulevi Oil Refinery.
Operations began in October 2025, and today the refinery processes exclusively non-Russian crude oil. The Libyan deliveries form part of a long-term supply agreement. The Kulevi Oil Refinery has existing production capacity to supply European Union markets.
The planned expansion would increase volumes and broaden the range of fuels available. Europe continues to import fuels used in transport and industry. According to Eurostat, EU net imports in 2024 amounted to 15.7 million tonnes of oil equivalent for gasoil and diesel and 11 million for jet fuel.
Both are included in the Kulevi Oil Refinery’s expansion plans. For Kulevi, the opportunity is to supply EU markets alongside Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, drawing on non-Russian crude and the Black Sea’s shipping connections. The European Commission’s assessment of September 8, 2026 described how higher EU refinery production and alternative international supplies were helping meet demand for diesel and jet fuel.
Stocks remained sufficient, but developments in the Middle East and seasonal demand could tighten markets in the weeks and months ahead. Additional refining capacity connected to maritime trade could give Europe more sources of these fuels. This would add another route through which international crude supplies can reach Europe as refined products.
An operating refinery connected to the sea Four pipelines run for three kilometers between the Kulevi Oil Refinery and the nearby port and terminal. They carry crude oil, naphtha, gasoil and fuel oil. The port and terminal are separate facilities owned and operated by SOCAR.
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