OREANDA-NEWS. December 1, 2010. The Belarusian government is discussing various options of cooperation with companies from Russia and other countries in order to implement the technical development program at JSC Grodno Azot in 2010-2016 worth USD 1.3-1.5 million, a source in the administration of the country told.

Grodno Azot may attract investors that possess natural gas resources and port infrastructure, he said.

The government has instructed Belneftekhim concern and OO Grodno Azot to consider attracting Chinese loans to finance the development program, however, in this case the key problem of Grodno Azot, that is, provision of sufficient natural gas supplies, at around 1.5 billion cubic meters annually, will not be resolved.

Russian JSC SIBUR Minudobrenia, a subsidiary of Gazprom, may supply gas to the Belarusian company, whereas Lithuanian Achema group concern may invest in the Belarusian production and share its port infrastructure.

SIBUR Minudobrenia earlier said it wished to acquire a stake in the Belarusian maker in order to consolidate the CIS market of nitrogen fertilizers. Achema group signed a protocol on cooperation with the Belarusian producer in May 2010, and “steps were made toward creating a cluster”.

A consortium of companies may be created by JSC Grodno Azot, JSC SIBUR Minudobrenia and Achema group to develop the Belarusian company.

The Grodno Azot development program includes over 10 projects.

Grodno Azot was set up in 1963 and transformed into an open joint-stock company in 2002. The Belarusian government holds a 99.97% stake. The annual capacity is estimated at 305,000 tonnes of sulphuric acid, 645,700 tonnes of nitrogen fertilizers, 111,200 tonnes of caprolactam and 55,400 tonnes of methanol.