During these operations, which are scheduled to take place until 10 February, a range of technological and technical activities will be conducted for the purposes of bringing the equipment as well as the entire plant into a reliable working state in line with the envisaged parameters.

Owing to optimization, this operation will be completed in 18 days, i.e. 7 days ahead of the usual deadline for this type of work.

The abovementioned optimization was preceded by a detailed analysis of the works needed and a rational engagement of the resources available, so that pushing forward the deadline will not affect their quality; rather, the end result will be an increase in the overall efficiency of refining. This parameter will impact on the increase of operational availability, monitored through the Solomon indicators, the international standard for assessing refinery plant efficiency.

'The value of these operations is estimated at about 30 million dinars. The works will be executed in compliance with the highest occupational protection, employee safe work and environmental protection standards,' Ranko Ristović, Director of Plant Group 1 at the Pančevo Oil Refinery, said in a statement.

In 2015, record amounts of bitumen were produced at the Pančevo Refinery Bitumen Plant for domestic and foreign buyers. Comprehensive process equipment inspection activities, to take place in a two-week period, will ensure a more stable production of bitumen this year.

NIS produces Euro bitumen for the purposes of road construction, and polymer modified bitumen, intended for the construction of roads requiring heigtened elasticity, such as highways, very important and busy road sections, and airport runways.

NIS AD issued this content on 23 January 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 26 January 2016 11:59:23 UTC

Original Document: http://www.nis.eu/en/presscenter/news/nis-bitumen-production