North Macedonia considers restarting OKTA refinery

The North Macedonian government is evaluating the potential reactivation of the OKTA oil refinery near Skopje to bolster national energy security and reduce reliance on fuel imports. Owned by HELLENiQ Energy, the facility has primarily functioned as a storage and distribution hub since production ceased in 2012.

Prime Minister Hristian Mickoski has requested that the company assess the technical condition of the facilities to determine the requirements for restarting production. A key factor in this decision is whether domestic diesel production will be more cost-effective than imports. The potential restart is closely linked to the planned reactivation of the Thessaloniki–Skopje pipeline by 2026, which would allow for the transport of crude oil to the refinery.

While the government is exploring these alternatives amid global energy market uncertainty, officials state that the domestic fuel market remains stable, with no shortages expected through 2026 or 2027.