Gazprom Neft PAO : catalyst production project awarded national status by Ministry of Energy

A Gazprom Neft initiative developing the use of aluminium oxide catalysts in deep oil refining has been awarded the status of a national project by the Ministry of Energy.

This initiative, a wide-ranging project to develop catalyst production at the Gazprom Neft Omsk Refinery, envisages the establishment of a cutting-edge high-technology complex producing domestic catalysts for use in catalytic cracking, as well as catalysts for hydro-treatment and hydro-cracking (none of which are currently produced in Russia). These catalysts are used for key processes in secondary oil refining, making possible the production of Euro-5 motor fuels.

Omsk Oil Refinery

Existing catalyst production capacity at the Omsk Refinery currently allows output of around 3,000 tonnes per year. The Gazprom Neft project, running to 2020, envisages the establishment of a cutting-edge facility to produce catalysts for hydrogenation processes (with a capacity of 6,000 tonnes) and catalysts for catalytic cracking (with a capacity of 15,000 tonnes). On which basis, total catalyst production capacity at the Omsk Refinery will reach 21,000 tonnes, allowing it to meet current demand for catalytic cracking and hydrogenation-process catalysts throughout Russia's refining industry. Technical and economic feasibility studies for the Gazprom Neft catalyst project have been developed by the VNIPIneft research bureau, Moscow, according to which, total investment in the project is likely to reach RUB15 billion.

The development of innovative technologies in catalyst production is being undertaken by Gazprom Neft in conjunction with major Russian research and development centres specialising in catalytic processes. The company's partner on this national project, specifically, is the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Novosibirsk, which is developing technology for the production of catalysts for hydrogenation processes. The Institute for Problems of Hydrocarbon Refining, Omsk, is also working with the company in developing new technologies and improving existing processes in the production of catalysts for catalytic cracking.

Anatoly Cherner, Gazprom Neft Deputy CEO for Logistics, Processing and Sales, commented: 'Awarding the status of a national project to Gazprom Neft's development of high-technology catalyst production facilities testifies - beyond any doubt - to its significance, both for the development of Russia's oil refining and related industries, and for science. Implementing this project means the oil refining industry with be supplied with highly effective, cutting-edge Russian products, with high export potential; it also addresses a priority objective in establishing high-quality domestic alternatives to imported products. Produced through the use of Russian technology and using Russian materials, Gazprom Neft's catalysts will not just meet but will exceed the quality of the best international alternatives.'

Tags: Omsk Oil Refinery
, refining, refining technology