JSC "Naftan" celebrates its 50th anniversary, and this landmark event is significant not only for the plant workers but also for Novopolotsk, the region, and the entire republic.
It is noteworthy that it was Naftan OJSC that became the city-forming enterprise for Novopolotsk residents, and, importantly, the starting point for the development of the domestic oil refining industry. Over half a century, the plant has processed more than 700 million tons of oil, and at one time produced the first Belarusian gasoline.
Summing up the results of 2012, it is worth noting that the enterprise's capacities were maximally utilized, with an oil processing volume of 10.6 million tons supplied from the Russian Federation. In addition, alternative types of oil raw materials were processed additionally.
In turn, the Polimir plant of Naftan OJSC processed over 527 thousand tons of hydrocarbon raw materials last year, with 65 percent of the total load coming from the parent enterprise. Polimir produced almost 139 thousand tons of high-pressure polyethylene and over 61 thousand tons of chemical fibers.
The largest share of profit for the entire concern was obtained from the sale of products for export. Sales markets include CIS and EU countries, Kuwait, Mongolia – more than 30 countries in total. Exports of chemical products amounted to over 79 percent.
Today, Naftan OJSC is actively working on the development of its own production. In 2012, a low-temperature gasoline isomerization unit using Penex technology was commissioned, which increased the share of high-octane gasoline production meeting Euro-4 and Euro-5 standards to 90 percent. The operation of a new vacuum unit of the Visbreaking unit for the production of petroleum products with higher added value has also begun. Construction and installation work is underway at the AT-8 unit with the simultaneous supply of technological equipment. This facility will increase oil processing volumes to 12 million tons per year.
JSC "Naftan" continues to implement its planned program of enterprise reconstruction and modernization, financing it with its own and borrowed funds. The largest investment project in the history of the oil giant is the construction of a delayed coking unit, which is scheduled to be launched by the end of 2015. The commissioning of the new facility will significantly increase the depth of oil refining – to at least 92 percent, as well as produce a new product – petroleum coke (more than 460 thousand tons per year), which is in demand by the cement and aluminum industries, and the energy sector.
Currently, negotiations are underway for the implementation of a large-scale innovative project – "Construction of a new petrochemical complex EP-200" at the "Polimir" plant of JSC "Naftan", which will allow the production of 200 thousand tons of ethylene per year.
The joint-stock company is also actively working on expanding its product range, including innovative developments, the latest of which include environmentally improved motor gasolines, diesel fuel with a reduced low-temperature filterability limit, and much more. The share of shipped innovative products in the total volume for the past year was about 33 percent.
Amidst all these production tasks, the social well-being of the team is not forgotten. All necessary conditions and a material base for health improvement and recreation have been created for Naftan employees and their families. The enterprise has its own Palace of Water Sports and Palace of Culture, a sports complex, a sanatorium, a hotel, a recreation center, kindergartens, and summer camps. And caring for its workers is another component of Naftan's image.