Gazpromneft Bitumen Materials (Gazpromneft BM LLC), operator of the Gazprom Neft bitumens business, has produced and delivered more than 1,500 tonnes of polymer-bitumen binders (PBB*) for construction of the Western High-speed diameter (ZSD), St Petersburg — this volume of materials being sufficient for an average 14 kilometres of high-quality, four-lane motorway surface.
Future transport loads and traffic volumes on the motorway were taken into account in developing the formulation. The application of PBBs makes possible better performance of the asphalt under high and low temperatures, increases resistance against warping, and extends the useful life of the road covering.
Innovative bitumen binding tape was used in sealing joints and reinforcing metallic elements, significantly increasing the strength of the road covering at connecting points. Bitumen binding tape, moreover, is far easier to use than traditional materials.
Fully-inclusive supplies were undertaken by the Gazprom Neft Ryazan bitumens plant, the Gazprom Neft Moscow Refinery and the company’s Vyazma facility, the NOBA-Brit plant, under a cooperation agreement with the Magistral Northern Capital consortium, operator on the project.
Construction of the ZSD is a flagship project for St Petersburg, implemented under a public—private partnership (PPP). The new motorway will unite the north and south of the city, with more than half of the route running on artificial structures including flyovers, bridges, viaducts and a tunnel, with the central section being laid overwater through the Gulf of Finland.
Dmitry Orlov, CEO, Gazprom Neft BM LLC, commented: “Our competitive advantage lies in our comprehensive approach, the combination of a quality product and a full range of associated services. Participation in a landmark project — not just for St Petersburg, but for the whole country — is a major responsibility. International best practice was taken into accounting in building the motorway, and innovative materials and cutting-edge technologies applied, ensuring its safety and durability. I have every confidence that St Petersburg’s residents and visitors to the city will appreciate the quality of roads built with Gazprom Neft bitumens.”
Established in October 2014, Gazpromneft Bitumen Materials (Gazpromneft BM LLC) is a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft, specialising in the production and sale of bitumen products and leading the domestic market, with annual sales of 1.7 million tonnes of bitumen materials.
The company’s key production facilities are based in the Moscow, Vyazma, Omsk, Yaroslavl and Ryazan Oblasts, as well as in Serbia and Kazakhstan. The company’s product range includes road, construction and roofing bitumens, as well as polymer-modified bitumens and binders (specifically G-Way Styrelf), and a range of bitumen derivatives (mastic compounds, sealants and bitumen emulsions).
Gazprom Neft uses a variety of transport solutions to ensure the supply of bitumen materials throughout Russia, the CIS, and abroad. The company’s facilities in Omsk, Yaroslavl and Ryazan are equipped with specialist packaging production lines allowing the transportation of bitumen products throughout the country’s most remote and inaccessible regions.
* Polymer—bitumen binders (PBB) are based on traditional bitumens, with the addition of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) polymers and a plasticizer. Polymer—bitumen binders demonstrate better quality in comparison with traditional bitumen, including greater resistance to warping, better endurance under extreme temperatures, and greater resistance against deterioration.
