Ceremony of Isomerization Unit Launch at Kuibyshev Refinery

The ceremony of launching an isomerization unit with a capacity of 280 thousand tons per year took place yesterday at Kuibyshev refinery, a Rosneft’s subsidiary.

The isomerization unit will allow producing of high-octane number component – isomerizate –used in production of finished motor gasoline with low sulfur, benzol and aromatic hydrocarbons in accordance with the highest ecological class “5” of the Customs Union’s technical regulations (equivalent to Euro-5). The usage of “5” class petrols significantly reduces and, according to several parameters, even excludes the presence of toxic contaminants in exhaust fumes of vehicles.

In the course of engineering and constructing the isomerization unit, the outmost attention was also paid to the ecological aspect. That is why the specific feature of the project is installation of a shut-in flaring system aimed at utilization of flare emission without smoke, steam, smell, noise and thermal plume.

Samaraneftehimproekt was the General Designer of the isomerizationunit, also several specialized Russian institutes were involved. The construction works started in July 2012.

The installation of the isomerization unit at Kuibyshev refinery let to create 41 working places on the plant. The isomerization unit personnel was formed by well-trained specialists with broad experience in oil refining and by young specialists, recently graduated from technical educational institutes.

The isomerization unit is one of the key objects of Rosneft’s large-scale investment program on modernization of production capacities of Kuibyshev refinery. The further implementation of the program is scheduled up to 2016 and includes construction of eight new units (including the isomerization rig) and reconstruction of the four operating units in total.

The aim of production modernization is to increase the rate of conversion and light oil products recovery, to switch to the production of motor fuels of “5” highest ecological class, to raise the level of ecological and industrial security of the production process.
 

Thanks to steps of the modernization program which have already been implemented, Kuibyshev refinery has started production of Super Euro-98 gasoline of “5” ecological class ahead of the schedule.