OREANDA-NEWS Sales of G-Energy lubricants, produced by Gazpromneft-Lubricants, operator of the Gazprom Neft lubricants business, increased by 30 percent in 2016, to 41,000 tonnes, with sales of various premium-class lubricants seeing an increase of 16 percent, to 258,000 tonnes.

Total sales of oils and lubricants produced by Gazpromneft-Lubricants reached 542,000 tonnes in 2016, a three-percent increase on 2015.

Sales of premium lubricants within Russia were up 16 percent on 2016, despite the market showing an overall reduction of approximately four percent.

The company also began supplying G-Energy and Gazpromneft branded products to Poland, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Slovakia, Colombia, India, South Korea, Tunisia, Cambodia, Vietnam and South Africa, resulting in a 16-percent increase in sales abroad. Sales of G-Energy lubricants, in particular, demonstrated the greatest growth on the international market, with sales increasing 44 percent, to reach 10,000 tonnes.

Gazpromneft-Lubricants significantly increased its product range in 2015, increasing the number of high-technology synthetic oils and strengthening its position in the commercial- and passenger-car-traffic sectors, developing marketing programmes and client service. Participation in a programme of import substitution — which saw the conclusion of new agreements with the Kamchatka Krai and the Astrakhan Oblast — continued to prove a further driver for the company on the domestic market in 2016.

2016 also saw the continued proactive development of the company’s international G-Energy Service programme, with more than 70 partnering service centres operating under that brand throughout nine countries worldwide, including Russia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Italy, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and China.

Alexander Trukhan, CEO, Gazpromneft-Lubricants, commented: “Complex lubricants are becoming ever more important to our product portfolio — something which is fully in line with the company’s strategic objectives, and our focus on technological leadership. We have continued the proactive development of our priority projects, directed at expanding and modernising production facilities and implementing cutting-edge standards in environmental and industrial safety. 2017 will see us begin producing Group III base oils — the basis for many high-technology products — at our Yaroslavl Refinery.* Implementing this project is the first step in transferring to the 100-percent production of complex oils and lubricants for servicing the latest technology.”

* Group III base oils are produced through the synthesis of petroleum feedstock under high temperatures, with the addition of gaseous hydrogen and multicomponent catalysts. They are characterised by a high viscosity index, thermal oxidation stability, a low sulphur content, etc., and are used in the production of high-technology synthetic oils.

Gazpromneft Lubricants Ltd (“Gazpromneft Lubricants”) is a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft, specialising in the production and sale of oils, lubricants and service fluids. Established in 2007, Gazpromneft Lubricants Ltd has five production facilities throughout Russia, Italy and Serbia. Total production volumes stand at 500,000 tonnes of premium oils, lubricants and service fluids per year. The Omsk Lubricants Plant includes Russia’s most cutting-edge facility for the mixing, dispensing and packaging of motor oils, with a total annual capacity for blending and packaging of 300,000 tonnes per year. Management policies at Gazpromneft Lubricants and its production assets are fully compliant with international ISO standards, including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 16949 and OHSAS18001. The company supplies its products for production lines at Daimler KamAZ Rus, Rostelmash, Derways Automobile Company, KAMAZ, the Avtotor group of companies (producing Hyundai vehicles), GAZ Group, UAZ (Sollers), and BelAZ. The company’s products are used by corporate organisations including Severstal, SIBUR, Gazprom, Evraz, MMK (OJSC Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works), TMK, NLMK Group, RUSAL, ALROSA Group, Russian Railways, and other major industrial enterprises. The company’s product range includes 500 branded oils and lubricants across all market sectors (more than 1,200 products in total). The company’s products have received more than 250 endorsements from major equipment manufacturers including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Volvo, Renault, General Motors, Cummins, MAN Russia, ZF, KAMAZ, AvtoGAZ, Bosch Rexroth, and others. The company is also involved in the production and sale of marine lubricants, supplying products to Sovkomflot, Rosmporport, Rosnefteflot, Norilsk Nickel and other Russian and international fleet owners. Thanks to its integration with the global Chevron supply network, the company’s clients are able to obtain marine lubricants at more than 800 ports worldwide. The company currently commands a 15-percent share of the Russian lubricants market, as well as operating in the markets of the CIS and the Baltic States, Europe, Central and South—East Asia, Africa, and elsewhere. The company’s products are sold in more than 60 countries worldwide.