The Purfina Refinery: History, Urban Development, and Memory of Rome
The history of the refinery known first as Permolio and later as Purfina is an emblematic chapter in the industrialization, urban development, and social controversies that characterized post-war Rome. Originally established in 1926 near the via Portuense, in the area known as Pozzo Pantaleo and “Piano di Pietra Papa,” the refinery began its activity under the company “ABCD” (Asfalti, Bitumi, Catrami e Derivati – Asphalts, Bitumen, Tar, and Derivatives). From its establishment in 1917, ABCD had managed warehouses for storing bitumen from Ragusa oil field in Sicily, but the financial contribution of the aristocratic family Miani significantly increased its activity. The Miani counts were brothers, who had become wealthy supplying asphalt for military roads in Ethiopia, founded the Società anonima permanente olio – Permolio, the name by which the plant was identified for years, including in the literary works by Pier Paolo Pasolini. The raw asphalt oil from Ragusa was transported to the refinery in Rome to be purified and transformed into fuel oil. By 1953, the plant, covering 7 hectares and employing 140 staff, boasted a production of 340,000 tons of processed oil and a complex structure articulated in three distillation plants, catalytic cracking, gasoline reforming, desulfurization, and 132 tanks for various products, from crude oil to liquefied gases.
Transition and Controversy
The most intense period of activity coincided with the phase of transition and strong controversy. In the spring of 1954, Permolio was at the center of rumors regarding its sale to foreign (Anglo-Belgian) capital, culminating in the transfer of majority shares to the Italian Fina division of the Belgian financial company Petrofina. This change in ownership led to immediate union unrest, with strikes by the 400 workers of via Portuense for economic claims, and a planned 20% staff reduction. The entry of Purfina (the name the company adopted after the merger) sparked a “patriotic rebellion” in the municipal council, which aimed to secure the transfer of the plant in the suburb out of the Grande Raccordo Anulare (GRA; Rome’s Great Ring Junction motorway surrounding the capital).
The need for relocation was intensified by the refinery’s position: it was located only 50 meters from the Lazzaro Spallanzani Hospital and near other important hospitals (San Camillo and Forlanini). The fumes and gases from the refinery, whose flame constantly burned in the cracking tower, caused continuous discomfort and nausea, and were an antithesis to the care for tuberculosis patients.
Added to these environmental concerns was the constant danger of fire and explosion in the tanks. A sadly confirmed fear materialized on April 15, 1957, when a large fire caused by the explosion of a gas pipeline caused the death of two young workers, Amedeo Piacentini (22) and Mario Sluca (33), due to burns.
Relocation and Urban Legacy
Political pressure and tragic accidents accelerated the transfer process, despite initial uncertainties about the destination. Already in April 1956, the relocation to Ponte Galeria was approved, with Purfina committing to purchase the new 46-hectare land, transfer the plants, and, crucially, reclaim the via Portuense area. In 1957, the “Raffineria di Roma – RdR” was created, a company that would manage the new plants with capital equally divided between Purfina and ANIC (ENI). After a brief reconsideration of the site (Quartaccia di Ceri was discussed), the final destination was established in July 1959 at Valle Galeria, località Pantano di Grano, in Via Malagrotta 226.
The commencement of work for the new refinery took place in November 1960, and the transfer of ownership of the via Portuense lands, made buildable, represented the cornerstone of the agreement.
The actual dismantling began years later, on May 12, 1966, with the spectacular demolition of the chimney (the top of the 30-meter high catalytic cracking tower). The decommissioning of the refinery led to the reclamation of the area, paving the way for intense real estate speculation. The area was transformed into an intensive residential district, known as Quartiere Nuovo Trastevere or Ex Purfina, and nicknamed “L’Isola” (The Island) for its isolation between Via Portuense, Via Majorana, and the railway. This development was criticized for the lack of public services and high residential density.
On the archaeological front, the former refinery area proved particularly rich: in 1951, during the construction of the Permolio distillation tower, a monumental necropolis dating back to the 2nd–3rd centuries AD was found. The most notable of these finds, an intact funerary chamber dated back to the 2nd century AD weighing 85 tons, was moved to the Diocletian Baths Museum thanks to a complex and famous transport in January 1967. The history of the Ex Purfina is thus not only the end of an industrial era but also the birth of a new, dense Roman urban district and the site of important archaeological finds.
