Romania produced, in the first five months of 2022, a quantity of crude oil of 1.224 million tons of oil equivalent (toe), about 80,500 toe (6.2%) lower than in the similar period of 2021, according to the data of the National Institute of Statistics (INS).

Crude oil imports rose, during the mentioned period, to 3.14 million toe, being 242,700 toe (7.2%) below those of the January-May 2021 period, according to Agerpres.

According to the estimates of the National Strategy and Forecasting Commission, crude oil production is estimated for 2022 at 3.17 million toe (minus 2.3% compared to 2021) and in 2023 at 3.095 million toe (minus 2.3%). Imports are expected at 7.25 million toe in 2022 (plus 6.4%) and at 7.83 million toe in 2023 (plus 6.5%).

The Energy Strategy Project, published on the website of the Ministry of Energy, estimates that crude oil production will continue its slowdown trend between 2030 and 2050, from 22 to 13 TWh (1.93 to 1.15 million toe).

The results of the modeling carried out in 2016 indicate the halving of domestic crude oil production, to approximately 2 million tons in 2030. The increase in dependence on imports can only be avoided in the medium and long term by encouraging exploration and production activity, as well as by increasing efficiency consumption of fossil fuels, it is mentioned in the project.