Bulgarian Petroleum and Gas Association was established in 1999 by the major companies active in the Petroleum and Gas industry in Bulgaria: “Petrol” , “Shell Bulgaria” , “Overgas INC” , “Shell Gas Bulgaria” , “Toplivo” .
Nowadays members of the Association are: Bent Oil Ltd, Bulmarket DM Ltd, Gastrade Ltd, Eko Bulgaria Ltd, ZARA-E Ltd, Litex JSC, Lukoil Bulgaria Ltd, Lukoil Neftochim Burgas Ltd, NIS Pеtrol Ltd, OMV Bulgaria Ltd, Petrol JSC, Prista Oil Holding JSC, Rompetrol Bulgaria Ltd, Synergon Holding JSC, Shell Bulgaria JSC.
The Association was founded under the conditions of State monopoly in the petroleum industry. The dominating position of the State owned biggest refinery “Neftochim” and the non-privatized distributor “Petrol” determined the unequal basis for the players on the petroleum market. In this atmosphere the main task of the Association was predestined – to contribute to the process of demonopolisation of the petroleum industry and to the promotion of the Constitutional right of free business initiative. The organisation took active part in the subsequent events and nowadays the market of the fuels are liberalised and subject only to the regulation of the market principles. Now both “Lukoil Neftochim” and “Petrol” are private and follow the rules of the market economy.
After achieving this first goal Bulgarian Petroleum and Gas Association directs its activities towards the co-operation with the State authorities and with other NGOs in the process of harmonization of Bulgarian legislation with the Acquis Communautaire as a step towards the integration of Bulgaria into the European Union.
Nowadays the Bulgarian petroleum and gas association is a role model NGO with history of over two decades and takes part in the working groups of the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Energy , Ministry of Finance, Customs Agency, etc.