OREANDA-NEWS. April 10, 2008. Within the next few years the Belarusian oil refineries will complete upgrade programmes to increase the oil refining level to more than 90%, the deputy chairman of the Belneftekhim concern, Vladimir Volkov, said at the international practical conference “Oil and petrochemical industry of the Republic of Belarus; prospects of international cooperation” in Minsk.

According to him, the development programmes of the Belarusian oil refiners are designed by 2010 and are aimed at boosting the output, increasing the level of refining and improving the quality of oil products. Thus Naftan refiner is set to upgrade the AT-8 plant to increase the output. The project on delayed coker unit will increase the level of oil refining to more than 90%. Several other projects will be implemented with a view to improving the quality of products.

Mozyr oil refinery seeks to achieve the same goals. The company’s development programme envisages the construction of diesel fuel hydrofining and hydrogen units. In 2008 the company will send in service the alkylation unit which capacity stands at around 300,000 tonnes of alkylate, a high octane eco-friendly additive to petrol. The company is also set to construct a hydrockrackign unit to improve the quality of mazut.

Vladimir Volkov underlined that the investment programmes will enable the oil refineries to bring the level of oil refining and quality of products in line with international standards.