Gazprom Neft has successfully completed the reactivation of a commercial batch of diesel hydrotreatment process catalysts at its Omsk Refinery — this work having been undertaken using the company’s own proprietary technology, and allowing 95% reactivation of initial catalyst activity. The
A catalyst’s activity is a key indicator of its effectiveness. Catalyst activity is gradually reduced in the course of it being used, and is compensated for by a higher process temperature — which leads to higher energy consumption, lower operational efficiency in production, and additional environmental impacts. Gazprom Neft’s patent technology allows a catalyst’s required level of activity to be restored, promoting greater efficiency in modern fuel production processes. The useful service life of reactivated catalysts is no different from any other. The economic benefit of using reactivated catalysts throughout all of the company’s refineries will reach RUB400 million per year. This technology has been developed in conjunction with the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Novosibirsk (a Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences).
“In the absence of effective Russian reactivation technologies, companies have been forced to purchase large volumes of catalysts, or turn to foreign companies to reactivate catalysts to the required levels. Which is precisely why establishing domestic production facilities is so important. We are developing a unique business for the Russian catalysts market, combining production, R&D and services. That sort of integrated approach will be an advantage for the entire industry: in driving knowledge-intensive catalyst production we are guaranteeing the stable functioning of Russia’s entire oil-refining industry.”
Alexander Chembulaev Director General, Gazprom-Neft Catalytic Systems
“Using catalysts reactivated using our own technology has saved us the cost of acquiring new ones, as well as helping us achieve a high level of efficiency in oil refining. Added to which, the quality of the fuel produced is maintained. We, as catalytic-system users, see a promising outlook for a wide range of uses for reactivated catalysts in producing modern, environmentally-friendly oil products.”
Oleg Belyavsky Director General, Gazprom Neft Omsk Refinery
Gazpromneft-Catalytic Systems is a Gazprom Neft subsidiary, established to manage all aspects of the company’s catalyst business, from production to the provision of a full range of technical-support services.
High-technology catalyst production at Gazprom Neft will make it possible to meet Russian refineries’ demand for secondary-refining catalysts in full. Total annual production capacity is 21,000 tonnes, comprising 6,000 tonnes of hydrotreatment catalysts and 15,000 tonnes of cat-cracking catalysts — both of which are used in key secondary refining processes making possible the production of Euro-5 motor fuels.
The development of innovative technologies in catalyst production is being undertaken by Gazprom Neft in conjunction with major Russian research and development centres specialising in catalytic processes. The company’s partner on this national project, specifically, is the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis, Novosibirsk (a Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences) and Samara State Technical University, which are developing technologies for the production of catalysts for hydrogenation processes. The Institute for Problems of Hydrocarbon Refining, Omsk (also a Siberian branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences), is also working with the company in developing new technologies and improving existing processes in the production of catalysts for catalytic cracking.
