Gazprom Neft adds to its lubricants range
Gazpromneft Lubricants — operator of the Gazprom Neft lubricants business — is entering into new market sectors, commencing with the supply of products for aviation and marine transport, pipe rolling and plastics production. A number of products, designed for the oil- and gas-transportation sector and unparalleled in Russia in terms of their low-temperature resistance, have been added to the company’s portfolio.
In addition to this, Gazprom Neft has become Russia’s only producer of metal forming oils*, used in production of large-diameter pipes. The company is also set to gain a considerable domestic market share in producing plasticizers** for the petrochemicals industry.
Such significant extension of the company’s product range has been made possible as a result of its acquisition of Rospolychem Group assets, which include three enterprises located in Nizhny Novgorod — Sovchemtech CJSC, Polyefir LLC and BSV-CHEM LLC, with total production amounting to more than 5,000 tonnes per year. Sovchemtech CJSC produces complex esters and the finished products derived from these; Polyefir LLC manufactures a wide range of specialist products for the metallurgical, technological and machine engineering sectors; while BSV-CHEM LLC is engaged in the marketing and sales of finished products. All production is compliant with ISO 9001, and the company’s research laboratory certified by Gosstandart Russia.
In addition to this, Gazpromneft Lubricants now has the opportunity to integrate its own highly purified base oils*** into formulations devised by Rospolychem, further improving business viability and further increasing the product range.
Anatoly Cherner, Gazprom Neft Deputy CEO for Downstream, commented: “Widening the range of lubricants we produce marks a major step forward in implementing Gazprom Neft’s long-term strategy, allowing us to occupy new market niches and gain access to the latest standards and innovative technologies. We plan to further improve technologies in order to supply the domestic market with lubricants matching the highest international standards.”
* Metal forming oils are a process fluid used in tube and pipe production, applied during expansion (moulding and calibration). The full functionality of a metal forming oil depends on the equipment and process used, but almost all of them require oil-film stability (to ensure quality lubrication), adhesive properties (in order to stay in place on metal-to-metal contact), protection against wear and tear (to protect expensive equipment) and the ability to emulsify (to allow rinsing after use).
** A plasticizer is a substance introduced into polymer materials to impart (or increase) elasticity and/or pliability. Plasticizers facilitate the blending of ingredients, reduce the temperature during the treatment of various components, and improve the ability of polymers to resist cold temperatures. Certain plasticizers can increase the fire-, light and heat-resistance of polymers. The most common plasticizers are complex esters.
*** Base oils form the basis of commercial oils without additives ready for blending: the raw material for lubricants being mineral and synthetic base oils. The chemical composition of mineral oils depends on the crude from which they are produced. The chemical composition of synthetic oils depends on the nature of the feedstock (monomer molecules) from which they are derived, and the method of their synthesis. Base oils differ in their viscosity, chemical composition, and various other properties.