Russian ethylene production will be increased by EP 600
Svetlana radionova, Chairwoman of Russia’s Environmental Watchdog, was in Moscow NizhnekamskneftekhimThe ethylene facility is currently under construction and is part of SIBUR. One of the most important strategic projects of NKNK is the olefin complex, which can produce 600,000 tonnes of ethylene per year. It will also contain propylene, benzene, and butadiene.
Every year, about 5 million tonnes straight-run gasoline are exported. EP-600 will see 1,800,000 tonnes of straight-run gasoline exported to Russia. This will result in a significant increase in Russian ethylene production capacity, which will allow Russia to meet growing domestic demand, and decrease imports.
Rustam Minnikhanov, President of Tatarstan, and Dmitry Konov, Chairman of SIBUR Holding Board, arrived at the construction site with Svetlana Radinova. The agreement between SIBUR (Russia’s Energy Ministry) includes the project. The company has committed to invest at least 285 million rubles in Tatarstan’s development of plants over the next few years.
The plant will use the most advanced technology in hydrocarbon feedstock processing as well as state-of the-art environmental protection solutions that outperform the best technologies in Russia and Europe. This will ensure production safety and compliance with European and Russian legislation, even if they change in the future.
In order to protect the environment, Nizhnekamskneftekhim has made it a priority to build new capacities that are far superior to current standards. Nizhnekamskneftekhim actively works to reduce the environment impact. Recently, biotreatment facilities were upgraded. Dmitry Konov, Chairman of SIBUR Holding Board, stated that emissions per tonne of products have decreased almost threefold in the past 20 years.
He also said that Nizhnekamskneftekhim’s reductions in emissions per tonne of product have been almost 3x over the past 20-years.
Dmitry Konov pointed out that the equipment and experience of Nizhnekamskneftekhim as well as all SIBUR will allow us to achieve this result.
The company is willing to comply with the most stringent environmental or climatic requirements
The large-scale construction work on the ethylene plant began May 2020. Today, more than 34% have been completed: all large equipment, metal structures, and pipelines have been erected.
The EP-600 metal structures are equivalent to five Eiffel Towers weighing 51,300 tonnes. 70% of this amount was also produced in 16 Tatarstan companies. They can be extended from Nizhnekamsk, Russia, to Blagoveshchensk, Far East. The total length of the EP-600 pipelines is 458 km. It is the most recent ethylene facility in the world, and it is therefore considered to be safe for the environment.
The project envisions a smokeless flare system. This allowed to reduce CO emissions by 12 times compared with the best Russian technologies. It also reduced nitrogen oxide compounds six-fold compared to Russian benchmarks, and twice compared with European ones.
Operators will be able to track the necessary indicators online with the Continuous Emission Monitoring system.
EP-600 will be equipped with modern local treatment facilities as well as a closed water circulation system. This will ensure that sewage is completely prevented and minimizes the impact on water resources. The waste per tonne of ethylene produced will be only 1,5kg, which is four times less than the European enterprises. The facility houses over 70,000 alarms, blocks and other emergency devices.
The plant will be launched in 2023 with a capacity to produce 600,000 tonnes per year.
After the visit, the Russian environmental monitor Svetlana Radionova and Nizhnekamskneftekhim entered into a cooperation arrangement. Svetlana Radinova, head federal environmental watchdog, was joined by Dmitry Konov, chairman of SIBUR Holding Board and Rustam Minnikhanov, director general of Nizhnekamskneftekhim PJSC Ayrat Safin as they signed the document.
The document fixes environmental measures as well as the introduction of solutions to reduce the environmental impact. This document was created at a cost of more than 6 billion rubles.
Svetlana radionova summarised the visit to this complex, and noted the company’s contribution to the region’s development and its responsibility to the environment.
I have visited the site and can confirm that SIBUR expressed its willingness and ability to invest in experience, money, and expertise in the further development and production of new-generation gas/petrochemical complexes. We see the willingness to build new capacities which will bring economic development to the region and create new jobs for residents. We have been told that the company is prepared to meet all environmental and climatic requirements. The federal environmental watchdog head concluded that environmental safety is an essential component of any enterprise.
Liliya Yegorova. Photo: Alexander Ilyin
Tatarstan