OREANDA-NEWS. September 7, 2010. On 2 September 2010 a regular meeting of the Republican HQ on the issues of Nizhnekamsk Refining and Petrochemical Complex was held with participation of R. Minnikhanov, RT President. Before the meeting started, Mr. Rustam Minnikhanov inspected several key facilities of Stage 1А1.

He visited Gas Distribution Point, in the first instance, and got familiarized with the progress of gas supply external network. From this very point, natural gas will be supplied to the flare facility, process heaters of CDU VDU and commissioning of the Refining and Petrochemical Complex will be started. It is symbolic that this Facility was practically ready to be put into operation and reception of gas on the threshold of Professional Holiday of Petroleum Producers.

Visbreaker will be the next unit to be started-up. The facility has been designed for the production of fuel oil from oil vacuum residue (tar) entering from the CDU VDU. The fuel oil will be produced by thermal cracking process. The unit will be capacitating to annual 2 100 000 t, whereof annual 1 926 000 t of fuel oil will be obtained for permanent type boilers and industrial furnaces, 95 000 t of visbreaking naphtha and 68 000 t of furnace gas. The Visbreaker Project envisages delivery of 159 process equipment units, whereof 158 units have already been delivered to the Site and installed.

Further, R Minnikhanov headed to the “Heart” of the Refinery – CDU VDU – where primary oil separation for the cuts will be performed. The process design was selected so that during the further conversion of the refined products it should provide feed for all the units of the Complex. The design capacity is 7 million ton of crude oil per year. This unit will produce hydrocarbon gas, unstable straight-run gasoline cut, kerosene and diesel cuts, vacuum gas oil, tar. The readiness of the facility is – 96 per cent.

Mr. Rustam Minnikhanov also surveyed the naphtha stabilization block. The naphtha hydrotreatment section is designed for hydrodesulphurization of the gasoline fraction with minimal contents of nitrogen and sulphur. The design capacity of the unit is 1 101 600 t/year of naphtha. The naphtha stabilization block project envisages installation of 41 units of the main process equipment, whereof 40 units were delivered, 36 units were installed.

The President devoted great care to the external railway infrastructure. Side by side with the crude oil pipelines and product pipelines, their financing is performed from the resources of the Investment Fund of the Russian Federation. The total mileage of the off-site railways of TANECO makes 26.2 kilometers, the estimate cost of the facility is 4 billion roubles. For the time being the construction of this Facility has been practically completed. The pre-commissioning works, landscaping and site finishing are in progress.

In the accomplishment of the detour, Mr. R.Minnikhanov visited the crude oil delivery and acceptance point (PSP). According to the design of the crude oil delivery and acceptance point, which includes 23 sub-facilities, 7 million ton per year will be produced. The construction and installation works at this facility are also coming to a close, the last preparations for the commissioning activities and comprehensive testing of the crude oil delivery and acceptance point systems with the operating medium are being performed. The circumstance that the Facility is ready for the acceptance of crude oil in practical terms, has also become the ultimate success of the Refining and Petrochemical Complex builders on the threshold of the Professional Holiday.

After that RT President attended Headquarter meeting on Oil Refining and Petrochemical Complex Construction. TANECO General Director Kh. Bagmanov delivered the report on “Measures for mechanical completion and preparation for integrated testing of start up facilities”. He informed on Stage 1A1 facilities completion, defined the priority of products and titles for first start up facilities commissioning. In speaking of target tasks, Khamza Bagmanov noted that firstly CDU VDU run in test using diesel cut will be done and heat refractory drying. Then – start up of CDU VDU in hot crude oil circulation mode. After that – start up of CDU VDU with release and shipment of marketable products. He also indicated the certain tasks for every Contractor companies. TANECO General Director in his report also enlarged upon such points as quality of works, vessels and units certification and registration, insurance and bank guarantee, summarized works performed in August and made plan for September.

When delivering a closing speech Roustam Minnilhamnov reminded once again about grave responsibility of every Project participant. He pointed up the necessity for continuous presence of Contractor’s management on the Construction site. President of Tatarstan Republic also mentioned that there are all conditions and backgrounds for timely mechanical completion, commissioning works, performance tests and equipment start up. Even though, each contractor should use every effort.

Republican Headquarter meeting also hosted Deputy Prime Minister, RT Minister of Energy Ilshat Fardiev, RT Minister of Construction, Architecture and Housing M. Khusnullin, Tatneft General Director Shafagat Takhautdinov, Head of Nizhnekamsk municipal district Aidar Metshin and others top managers.