OAO NGK Slavneft subsidiary JSC Slavneft-Yaroslavnefteorgsintez (Slavneft-Yanos) has started a new unit for production of group III base oils at its 15 million-tonne/year refinery in Yaroslavl, Russia.
Designed to produce four types of high-tech base oils, the new 100,000-tpy unit will receive feedstock from an associated hydrocracker for production of high-quality synthetic motor oils, two types of which have not previously been produced in Russia, Slavneft Yanos said.
Requiring a final investment of 5.5 billion rubles to complete, the new unit will enable the refinery to replace up to 40% of finished products currently imported into the domestic market, according to the operator.
Alongside commissioning of the group III base oils unit, other projects to be executed at the Yaroslavl refinery—Russia’s fourth largest—during 2017 involve ongoing implementation of an environment project to build a hydrogen sulfide utilization unit as well as projects to improve operating efficiency, including conversion of process furnaces to run on natural gas as well as replacement of Atmospheric Vacuum Distillation Unit 4’s furnace, according to PJSC Gazprom Neft, which jointly owns NGK Slavneft with 50-50 partner PJSC Rosneft Oil Co.
By yearend 2017, Slavneft Yanos also plans to complete a feasibility study and select technology for a proposed oil residue refining plant at the refinery, Gazprom Neft said in its 2016 annual report to investors.
Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected].
