The elementary sulfur production unit has been launched at Naftan Open Joint Stock Company
The ceremony was attended by Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Nikolai Sherstnev, Mayor of Novopolotsk Dmitry Demidov, Chairman of the Belneftekhim concern Andrey Rybakov, General Director of Naftan OJSC Alexander Demidov, and the enterprise's staff. The event participants also visited the previously commissioned hydrogen production unit No. 2. Built from scratch, the two facilities have collectively provided employment for 174 workers.
Each modernized facility at Naftan OJSC brings economic benefits and yields results. This opinion was expressed today to journalists by the Chairman of the Belneftekhim concern Andrey Rybakov at the symbolic launch ceremony of the Claus process elemental sulfur production unit at the Novopolotsk enterprise.
Andrey Rybakov emphasized that the unit is part of the technological facilities of the delayed coking complex. "Speaking about individual units of the complex, each of them provides its own economic effect. The environmental factor and import substitution are also important here. We will effectively replace the purchased raw materials for fertilizer production with Naftan's product," stated the Chairman of the concern.
The Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Nikolai Sherstnev focused on the improvement of ecology in Novopolotsk with the commissioning of the Claus process elemental sulfur production unit. "It is not for nothing that it was nicknamed the lungs of Novopolotsk. People understand the significance of this facility for the city," emphasized the governor. He also expressed words of gratitude to everyone who participated in the implementation of this project.
According to the General Director of Naftan OJSC Alexander Demidov, the modernization of technological facilities is an integral part of the enterprise's development program, which allows for the production of competitive products and compliance with modern market requirements. Raw materials are an important element of the entire process. Currently, Naftan is purposefully and systematically developing alternative supplies.
"In the first ten days of August, we expect
another tanker with American oil. This will be the ninth tanker this year. On average, this is about 900 thousand tons over seven months. The alternative oil supply program will be further developed," Alexander Demidov added.The cost of the elemental sulfur production plant project, which occupies almost 5 hectares and has no analogues in Belarus, is about $130 million. The facility uses the most modern European technologies. During its construction, equipment from Croatia, the Czech Republic, Italy, Canada, the USA, Germany, France, Russia, and Ukraine was used. In total, almost a hundred units of main technological equipment were installed: thermal reactors, tanks, columns, pumps, furnaces, a flare, and a chimney. A special place is occupied by the equipment of the sulfur granulation, transportation, and shipment system. At peak moments during construction and installation operations, more than 500 people worked here simultaneously.
The elemental sulfur production plant will utilize hydrogen sulfide coming from other facilities of the enterprise. With its commissioning, pollutant emissions from "Naftan" will decrease by 14 thousand tons per year. It is planned that existing actual sulfur dioxide emissions will be reduced by more than 40%.
This facility at the enterprise is referred to as the "lungs of Novopolotsk." Each of the two "Klaus" sections is designed to process 3,000 cubic meters of hydrogen sulfide per hour. Daily, it will be capable of producing over 200 tons of technical sulfur, meeting global quality standards. With the launch of this facility, Naftan will be able to meet the country's demand for elemental sulfur for its enterprises (the product is consumed by the Gomel Chemical Plant and OJSC Grodno Azot). Furthermore, its export to Lithuania and Ukraine is planned.
The Hydrogen Production Unit No. 2 is one of the important technological facilities of the delayed coking complex (DCC). Currently, it is operating in pilot-industrial mode and can meet the petrochemical complex's hydrogen needs. The specific feature of this unit is its ability to operate on combined feedstock in any ratio (liquefied petroleum gas, as well as natural gas) and to produce high-purity hydrogen-containing gas (99.9%), which is necessary for hydrogenation processes.
According to Alexander Demidov, 2020 is a particularly significant year for Naftan OJSC. The construction of new facilities for the Novopolotsk petrochemical complex is nearing completion. The modernization, the most large-scale in the enterprise's history, is aimed at its further technological development. The implementation of the investment development program will allow Naftan to increase oil refining depth to 90%, the yield of light oil products to 65%, obtain new types of products, as well as achieve a reduction in environmental impact and improvements in industrial safety.
With the completion of all planned activities, the enterprise will be able to address a number of important tasks: increase the production volume of motor fuels; supply high-quality Belarusian petroleum coke to the market; improve the environmental situation in the region by reducing hydrogen sulfide emissions; produce technical sulfur; enhance the energy efficiency of technological processes; optimize operational costs.
The head of the enterprise paid special attention to the ongoing construction of the delayed coking unit. It is a whole chain of interconnected technological facilities. The modernization of some of them has already been completed. Initially, all efforts were focused on the reconstruction of the diesel fuel hydrotreating unit No. 2. The reconstruction was completed in September 2018. The entire volume of diesel fuel produced at Naftan OJSC meets the Euro-5 standard. The economic effect is about $20 million per year.