The ORLEN Unipetrol, a.s. is the largest refinery and petrochemical company in the Czech Republic. It focuses primarily on crude oil processing, distribution and sale of fuel and petrochemical products – particularly plastics and fertilisers. In all these fields, the group is a key player on both the Czech and Central European market. The ORLEN Unipetrol Group includes refineries and production plants in Litvínov and Kralupy nad Vltavou, Paramo with the Mogul brand in Pardubice and Kolín, Spolana in Neratovice, and two research centres in Litvínov and Brno as well as rail and road carriers. ORLEN Unipetrol also owns the Benzina ORLEN network of petrol stations with 419 stations, which is the largest chain in the Czech Republic. Unipetrol is one of the largest companies in the Czech Republic in terms of turnover. The group created revenue of over CZK 83 billion last year and employs more than 4 800 people. In 2005, Unipetrol became part of the PKN Orlen Group.
ORLEN Unipetrol Group operates
- 2 refineries with an annual conversion capacity of 8.7 million tons of crude oil
- 3 polyolefin units with an annual capacity of 595,000 tons
- 1 steam cracker with an annual capacity of 544,000 tons of ethylene
- 419 filling stations and 25 % of the Czech Republic’s market share
Main products
- diesel
- automotive gasoline
- aviation fuels (jet)
- motor and fuel oils
- LPG
- petrochemicals (ethylene, propylene, C4 fractions, benzene, butadiene)
- plastics (polyethylene, polypropylene)
- asphalts
- ammonia
ORLEN Unipetrol and hydrogen
ORLEN Unipetrol, as a traditional hydrogen producer, sees the future in this gas through gradual replacement of conventional fuels in transport. ORLEN Unipetrol’s representatives engage in platforms supporting development of hydrogen use. It cooperates both with state and non-state institutions as well as automotive producers to promote its use. The chemical industry already has surpluses of hydrogen today. Its use in transport would therefore be beneficial to all parties. We are currently producing hydrogen especially in our Litvínov Refinery. Approximately half of the hydrogen produced is used for the production of ammonia, feedstock for the production of fertilizers.
The other half is used for hydrocracking of vacuum distillates and hydrotreating of motor fuels. We plan to produce hydrogen that can be used also in transport. In 2021, we plan to extend two existing filling stations to hydrogen filling stations in Barrandov (Prague) and Litvínov.