Florin Bortoș, the man who witnessed the evolution of Petromidia: “In a refinery, the entire staff represents a team”

Journey into the past and present

Over 45 years ago, Petromidia began writing its history on the seashore, in Năvodari. The decision to locate the refinery was made after a helicopter flyover, determining that the current location met all the essential conditions: proximity to the sea, a town that could be developed, and a vast amount of available space.

Continuous modernizations supported by the sole shareholder, KazMunayGas, such as the major investment project in the period 2008-2012, increased the refinery’s capacity to 5 million tons, consolidating its status as a national and regional leader.
Petromidia is a refinery with a high complexity index and processes high-sulfur crude oil, obtaining exclusively Euro 5 products. Petromidia works integratedly with Vega, the second refinery of the Group, to which it sends semi-finished products that result in value-added products. Vega is the only local producer of road bitumen and polymer-modified bitumen.

Also within the Petromidia refinery, the only petrochemical unit in Romania operates. In 2008, the refinery put into operation the only marine terminal, located 8.6 km from the Midia Port, which supplies the refinery with crude oil through underground and land pipelines. In 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Petromidia developed a new petrochemical grade, used for the filter material in protective masks, thus marking a continuous adaptation of the refinery. After years of successive financial losses, caused by market volatility, 2022 was one of the best years in Rompetrol’s history. Petromidia is one of the main engines of industries in the region, with new production records.

In addition to fuels, it supplies products and raw materials for a whole range of industries and goods – both domestically and internationally.
The oil and gas industry, especially working in a refinery, involves a lot of involvement, responsibility and dedication to the job, to colleagues and ultimately to the company you work for. Over time, these qualities become assets and help you in both personal and professional development. This is demonstrated by the “seniors” of Rompetrol Rafinare, who, after many years of activity, can say that they witnessed the evolution and modernization of the Petromidia platform.

The oil and gas industry, especially working in a refinery, involves a lot of involvement, responsibility and dedication to the job, to colleagues and ultimately to the company you work for. Over time, these qualities become assets and help you in both personal and professional development. This is demonstrated by the “seniors” of Rompetrol Rafinare, who, after many years of activity, can say that they witnessed the evolution and modernization of the Petromidia platform.

One of them is Florin Bortoș, Project Manager, who, in his 40 years of activity, has collected, in addition to an enviable experience, many stories.

 Since when have you been employed at Rompetrol Rafinare and what does your job entail?
I set foot in the Petromidia refinery for the first time in 1984, when I was only 20 years old, and this year I am celebrating 40 years of work on this platform. I started as a fractional operator, I went through all the stages of improvement and became Unit Manager in the Coking plant.It would take me a long time to go through my journey and experience in Petromidia, but now I remember the moment when the new flares were put into operation. At the completion of the project, on the metal construction of the Catalytic Cracking flare, we added a stainless steel plate on which the names of the people from the team that participated in this project are engraved.
During all this time, I have been involved in many projects, but the biggest one was the modernization of this facility (Catalytic Craking) in 2013. Since 2019, I have been appointed Project Manager/Site Manager, where, together with several colleagues, we implement various projects for continuous modernization of refinery facilities, improvement of technological and interdepartmental flows and labour conditions.

What determined you to get a job in the refinery?
It was a challenge. At that time, the Coking plant was under construction, and it was to be started shortly. I was attracted to the idea of participating in its start-up, having a strong personal motivation. My father was working at the time in the Coking plant at the Darmănești refinery and in this way I somehow carried on a family tradition. But, the most important thing was that I was attracted to this field and I am still in love with my job and I do everything with passion.

 What does working in Petromidia mean for you and for your professional career?
As I said, I started working in Petromidia as an operator, just like everyone who entered the refinery gate for the first time. All this time, until today, I have learned, improved and continuously adapted to both internal and external changes. I have developed as a human being, performed and learned together with my colleagues to adapt to market conditions and requirements so that we remain resilient in this field. And I think we succeeded and we will continue to succeed. I am glad to see that young people who embrace this career are showing professionalism.

What impact did Petromidia have and has for the development of the area?
Petromidia was, is and I am convinced that it will remain the largest refinery in Southeast Europe, with a processing capacity of up to 5 million tons per year, being one of the largest contributors to the state budget. It is an important player in the area, contributing through various projects (cultural, sustainability, educational, environmental) to the well-being of the community in which it operates. Over time, it had an essential role in the development of the city of Năvodari, but also of the entire area.

How important is the team to the activity in a refinery?
In a refinery, the entire staff is a team. Each department has its well-established role in the smooth functioning of the entire system. Each department is a cog that drives the others so that the whole system works efficiently – starting from the processing of the raw material to the delivery of the products to the consumers and the alignment with the standards and legislation in force. The team and team spirit are, in general, the cornerstone for the smooth running of the activities.

How has working with people helped you to develop professionally?
Without the support of people you cannot evolve either as a person or from a professional point of view. We teach each other, because we have something to learn from every person we interact with, even if he is senior or junior. The seniors come with the experience accumulated over time, and the younger generations come with new ideas, with this new knowledge related to technology, applications, artificial intelligence, which help us, improve us and make our work easier.

Is there a lesson that you have learned in these years of activity that you would like to pass on?
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that you have to love and put your heart into what you do, so that in the end you leave something behind that you can be proud of. It is also very important to take into account the advice of mentors and people with expertise. Sooner or later, those teachings will undoubtedly help you.