The Serbian government has approved a regulation to establish a spatial plan for an infrastructure corridor for a new oil pipeline from the Hungarian border to Novi Sad, paving the way for the construction of this critical energy project.
The plan covers parts of the territories of Novi Sad, Kanjiža, Senta, Ada, Bečej and Žabalj municipalities. It outlines the organization, development, usage, and protection of the oil pipeline corridor, including detailed regulations for its direct implementation.
The pipeline project is a result of cooperation between Serbia and Hungary, formalized in June 2023 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy and the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The aim is to improve Serbia’s energy security and diversify its crude oil supply routes.
The project will be managed by the Ministry of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure, with funding provided by the company Transnafta AD Pančevo.
The pipeline’s maximum capacity aligns with the refining capacity at the Pančevo Oil Refinery (4.8 million tons annually) and the maximum amount Hungary can supply to Serbia (5.5 million tons annually). The pipeline will operate under a pressure of 70 bar and will ensure a continuous transport rate of around 725 m³/h.
The spatial plan defines a 120 km-long pipeline corridor, including a 200-meter-wide strip on both sides. The pipeline, to be made of steel, will be buried along the entire route. The plan also covers the territories of several municipalities, including Kanjiža, Senta, Ada, Bečej, Žabalj, and Novi Sad.
The pipeline will begin at the border with Hungary near Horgoš and proceed southeast, passing through various towns and crossing several roads, railways, and canals. The pipeline will end in Novi Sad at a receiving station.
This project follows the decision to connect Serbia to the Russian Druzhba pipeline, which started in 2022 after the EU imposed sanctions that affected the import of Russian crude oil via the JANAF pipeline.
The Serbia-Hungary oil pipeline, expected to be completed by 2028, has an estimated cost of EUR 157 million for the Serbian section.
