Lukoil’s Volgograd refinery producing IMO 2020 low-sulfur fuel oil

PJSC Lukoil subsidiary OOO Lukoil Volgogradneftepererabotka has started production of low-sulfur fuel oil that complies with International Maritime Organization (IMO) mandates set to take effect in 2020 at its more than 281,000-b/d Volgograd refinery in southern Russia.

The Volgograd refinery began production of bunker fuel oil 0.5% sulfur as Oct. 11 and will produce about 1 million tonnes/year of the fuel, Lukoil said.

The IMO’s upcoming global cap of 0.5% sulfur on fuel oil by all ocean-going vessels becomes effective Jan. 1, 2020.

The Lukoil unit also is advancing the construction of a deasphaltizing unit at the refinery, Lukoil said in an Aug. 29 presentation to investors.

While the operator confirmed work on the deasphaltizing unit is about 25% completed, Lukoil did not disclose further details regarding the project.

Contact Robert Brelsford at [email protected].