Trieste, 23 May 2023 – The TAL Group will ensure the independence of the Czech Republic from oil supplied through the Druzhba pipeline. This is the result of the agreement signed between TAL and MERO ČR, a Czech state-owned company working in the country’s oil logistics sector, which will lead to an increase in the capacity of the Transalpine Pipeline by up to 4 million additional tons of crude oil per year.

This was announced by the Prime Minister of the Czech Republic himself, Petr Fiala, at a press conference held today in the Czech town of Kralupy nad Vltavou: “Increasing the capacity of the TAL pipeline is a strategic project for the Czech Republic. Only thanks to this step will we gain energy security and independence. In doing so, we are also fulfilling our commitment we made during the negotiation of an exception in the supply of Russian oil until the end of 2024. The Czech Republic fully supports the sanctions packages against Russia in connection with the war in Ukraine. Unfortunately, we are currently not self-sufficient, which is changing with the signed contract”, said Prime Minister Petr Fiala.

This is an important step towards strengthening energy security and ensuring oil independence of the Czech Republic. The agreement of the TAL-PLUS project foresees an increase in capacity and oil supply for the Czech Republic of up to 4 million tons per year from 2025. Overall, the Transalpine Pipeline will supply the Czech Republic with 8 million tonnes of oil per year, thus completely covering the country’s crude oil needs.

“The contract was signed with the joint effort and approval of all TAL’s shareholders,” explained TAL General Manager Alessio Lilli, “a signature that came at the end of intense preparatory work, for which I would like to thank not only all the shareholders, starting with MERO ČR, the lead partner and funder of the TAL-PLUS project, but also the entire Management of the group. The work that will be carried out on the pipeline will involve replacing and upgrading the pumps and motors that move the crude oil, so there will be no structural extension or changes to the pipeline. The TAL pipeline further strengthens its strategic role in serving the European economy on the international energy scene and looks to the future, ensuring through these investments positive effects on all the territories where we operate”.

“The agreement on the expansion TAL pipeline is a major achievement, preceded by a year of intense and demanding negotiations – said Jaroslav Pantůček, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of MERO ČR – TAL, thanks to MERO financial support, will ensure technical modifications and modernization of parts of the pipeline in the coming months and years so that we can achieve an expansion of its capacity”.

Investments in increasing the capacity of the TAL pipeline and partial modifications to the MERO pipeline system should reach 1.3 to 1.6 billion Czech crowns, equivalent to 50-70 million euros.

Thanks to the capacity increase, the volume of oil transported by the TAL pipeline will increase from 6,400 to 7,500 cubic meters per hour.