BAZAN Group, formerly known as Oil Refineries Ltd. (ORL), is Israel’s largest oil refining and petrochemical company. Located in Haifa Bay, it operates the largest oil refinery in the country, with a capacity to refine about 9.8 million tons of crude oil annually. Its facilities provide essential products used in various industries, agriculture, and transportation.
Bazan Group also offers storage, transportation, electricity, and steam services to regional industrial customers. BAZAN’s story dates back to the British Mandate for Palestine when Consolidated Refineries Limited (CRL), a joint venture between Shell and Anglo-American Oil Company, began constructing the refinery complex. The first refinery unit was completed in 1944 with an annual capacity of four million tons of crude oil. During World War II, the facility provided refined products to British and American forces, despite being bombed several times.
Transition to Israeli Ownership
In 1958, due to concerns about the Arab League Boycott, the British government sold CRL to the State of Israel, and the company was renamed Oil Refineries Ltd. Under Israeli ownership, the company underwent significant expansion. It held a monopoly over oil refining in Israel until 2006 when privatization began. The Ashdod Oil Refinery was sold to Paz Oil Company in 2006, and BAZAN’s shares were sold to institutional investors and the Ofer-Federman group in 2007, marking a new chapter in the company’s growth.
Mergers and Expansion
In 2009, BAZAN Group merged with the Olefins companies, and in 2010, it fully acquired Haifa Basic Oils. The company also invested in advanced technologies, including UOP’s Unicracking strategies to improve the production of petroleum products like liquid petroleum gas, naphtha, and kerosene.
Today, BAZAN Group continues to grow, with over 70% of its products distributed locally and the remainder exported. The company employs 1,500 workers and supports around 2,000 contractors, contributing significantly to the local economy, particularly in Haifa and northern Israel.