The decommissioning of Cyprus’s former petroleum refinery will require at least another three years to complete, with environmental remediation work beginning on the most contaminated sections of the 155,000 square metre site.
The Cyprus Oil Storage Company (KETAP) has commenced final dismantling operations after the facility’s chemical storage depot closed in August 2024, removing a key obstacle that had delayed progress since decommissioning began in 2017.
Chryssis Hadjigeorgiou, KETAP board secretary and one of four remaining employees overseeing the site, said the company expects to complete all work by 2027. The timeline includes demolition of above-ground and extensive underground infrastructure, including pipelines and storage systems.
“We are proceeding with dismantling work on both surface installations and underground facilities, which are numerous,” Hadjigeorgiou said. KETAP will present its remediation methodology to the Environment Department on 3 July for a severely contaminated 7,000 square metre section that previously housed crude oil storage tanks.
The company aims to begin environmental cleanup within two months whilst continuing demolition of remaining installations. An 18-month contract has been awarded to an international firm for soil remediation of the most polluted area.
Hadjigeorgiou acknowledged minor delays due to underground infrastructure complications but maintained the 2027 completion target remains achievable. Current work includes asbestos removal from buildings before demolition of the chemical depot and remaining structures.
The Finance Ministry holds sole ownership of KETAP. Upon completion, all company assets will transfer to the state, which will determine the site’s future use.
Larnaca Municipality has expressed interest in developing part of the former refinery site into a student campus, submitting a formal request in autumn 2023 for low-cost lease arrangements for the remaining KETAP office building to house a private university college.
The Cyprus Petroleum Refinery operated from 1972 to 2004 before beginning the lengthy decommissioning process. The site sits in Larnaca’s most rapidly developing area, where hundreds of millions of euros in investment projects are planned.
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