OREANDA-NEWS. January 24, 2008. In 2008, the company plans to increase the total capital investment to 40.9 billion rubles* (predictive data for 2007 – 19.9 billion rubles).

The company will spend 8.7 billion rubles for the expansion and revamp of gas processing capacities. Specifically, investment projects include the expansion of Yuzhno-Balyksky and Nizhnevartovsky GPPs, expansion of gas fractionating plant at Tobolsk-Neftekhim, construction of product pipelines, and preparation for the new construction projects at Yamalo-Nenetsky and Khanty-Mansiysk autonomous regions.

Capital expenditure for the plastics and organic synthesis products is expected to be 17.7 billion rubles. Propylene and polypropylene plant at Tobolsk is due for construction in 2008. In the meantime, the company keeps working out ways to develop various projects for the expansion of the cracker and PVC construction in Nizhny Novgorod region, construction of polystyrene plant at Sibur-Khimprom in Perm region, revamp and construction of new polymer plants at Tomskneftekhim.

Investment for the revamp and expansion of rubber sites is estimated at 4.3 billion rubles in 2008. The company will continue exploring the feasibility of new thermoplastics and halogenated butyl rubber projects. Progress will be made in the optimization and installation of automatic control systems, as well as in the transition of polybutadiene rubber process to neodymium catalyst system at Voronezhsintezkauchuk. New refrigerating plant project will be implemented at Tolyattikauchuk.

In 2007, SIBUR enterprises manufactured 13 897 kilotons of petrochemicals (including the output of Yugragazpererabotka LLC, a joint venture with TNK-BP). The output of dry gas was 11415 mln m3. SIBUR keeps retaining the leading positions at the domestic basic petrochemicals market.

As compared to the previous year, the 2008 business plan stipulates an increase in the petrochemicals output to 15 090 kilotons (excluding Yugragazpererabotka LLC - 13968 kilotons), dry gas – up to 13 296 mln m3 (excluding Yugragazpererabotka LLC - 9997 mln m3).

"The company’s operational performance allowed retaining the positive financial trend, - SIBUR LLL President Dmitry Konov said. – The existing capacity is close to the full arte of operation and the further growth will be connected with the start-up of new facilities and optimization measures at the existing sites”.