Lukoil speeds upgrades of two refineries

Sept. 19, 2012
Lukoil has adjusted plans for modernization of two of its Russian refineries to boost output of gasoline.

Lukoil has adjusted plans for modernization of two of its Russian refineries to boost output of gasoline.

“The changes were introduced into refinery modernization plans in order to fully satisfy the demand of the Russian Federation market for automotive gasoline and prevent possible shortage of gasoline,” the company said in a statement.

At the 17 million tonne/year (tpy) Nizhny Novgorod refinery, which processes West Siberian and Tatarstan oils in the town of Kstovo, Lukoil plans a second catalytic cracking complex to increase gasoline throughput by 1.3 million tpy and a residue hydrocracking unit with an expanded capacity of 4.8 million tpy. The company accelerated construction of the hydrocracker to move commissioning to 2018 from 2020 and raised the target capacity from the originally planned 2.2 million tpy.

At the 13 million tpy Perm refinery, Lukoil is building a deep-conversion complex including a 2.1 million tpy delayed coking unit along with diesel hydrotreatment, hydrogen, and sour-water stripping units.

The Perm facility processes a blend of crudes from the northern part of the Perm region and from Western Siberia.

In its long-term modernization program, Lukoil during 2000-10 commissioned:

• At the Nozhny Novgorod refinery, a 1 million tpy reforming unit, a 400,000 tpy isomerization unit, a 2.6 million tpy catalytic cracking complex, and a 4.6 million tpy reconstructred diesel fuel hydrotreatment unit.

• At the Perm refinery, a 3.5 million tpy vacuum gas oil hydrocracking unit and a 470,000 tpy isomerization unit.

• At the 3.9 million tpy Ukhta refinery, a 120,000 tpy gasoline fraction isomerization unit and an 850,000 tpy diesel fuel hydrodewaxing unit.

• At the 11 million tpy Volgograd refinery, a 1 million tpy reforming unit, a 390,000 tpy isomerization unit, and a 1.4 million tpy diesel fuel hydrotreatment unit.