An investigation is under way into a fire that broke out on Mar. 3 at TAIF Group’s 7 million tonne/year Nizhnekamsk refinery in Tatarstan, Russia.
The fire, which occurred at the catalytic cracking unit of the refinery’s gasoline plant, was quickly extinguished, with no injuries reported as a result of the incident, according to recent releases from TAIF subsidiary PSC-TAIF-NK and Tatarstan’s Ministry of Civil Defense and Emergency Situations.
Damage assessments as well as an investigation into the cause of the fire remain ongoing, but preliminary indications show the fire may have erupted following a release of heavy fuel oil from a depressurization flange on the unit, PSC-TAIF-NK said.
While production at the refinery’s gasoline plant has been suspended, other production units continue to operate normally, the company said.
The Nizhnekamsk refinery, which is Tatarstan’s largest, includes a gasoline plant and gas-condensate processing plant.
