SIBUR reported on September 15, 2016, that it’s Tomsk-based facility has upgraded and ramped up its polymer production.
The opening ceremony for the upgraded polypropylene and polyethylene production facility was attended by Sergey Zhvachkin, Governor of the Tomsk Region, Kirill Molodtsov, Russian Deputy Minister of Energy, Leonid Mikhelson, Chairman of SIBUR’s Board of Directors, Dmitry Konov, Chairman of SIBUR's Management Board, and other representatives of the Company's management.
In 2012, Tomskneftekhim embarked on the major upgrade of its polymer production capacities launched back in the 1980–1990s. The project was supported by the government as part of an investment agreement signed with the Tomsk Region's authorities. Overall project investments exceeded RUB 10 bn net of VAT.
The investments included a 72% upgrade of the site's two core lines producing polypropylene and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). Engagement of the NIOST, SIBUR's R&D centre, in the renovation process will help improve the existing LDPE and polypropylene grades and significantly expand the polymer offering. On top of that, the aggregate polypropylene and LDPE production capacities increased by 9.3% (from 130 to140 ktpa and from 245 to 270 ktpa, respectively).
Plastpolymer was chosen as the general designer to upgrade the polypropylene production. A wide range of general industrial equipment (heat exchangers, pumps, tanks, valves, measuring devices) was supplied by Russian manufacturers, including Izhevskkhimmash, Khimmashholding, DimitrovgradKhimmash, Intech Analytics, Fluid Business, BelInterFlow, Nexans Rus, etc. European and Japanese producers, such as Coperion, Tomoe and others, were contracted to deliver special-purpose equipment (assembly units for granulation, centrifugation and pneumatic conveyor systems, refrigerators).
As part of the LDPE production upgrade, the facility put into operation 487 units of core and ancillary equipment manufactured in Russia, including assembly of over 40 tanks, heat exchangers and pumps, and construction of approximately 50 km of process pipelines. The general designer was Bashgiproneftechim, while Sibshakhtostroy, Omus-1 and SNEMA-SERVICE were selected as the main contractors. All assembly and construction services were sourced from the Russian providers, with over 800 workers being deployed on-site on the daily basis.
Overall, some 219 domestic equipment and materials suppliers and contractors contributed to the upgrade, including 55 suppliers and contractors from the Tomsk Region (Tomskcable, SibTeploElektroKomplekt, Tompromsnab, Khimremont, Tominvest, Mikronix, etc.). The project involved the installation of 3,373 tonnes of metal structures, the use of 10,406 cu m of concrete, and the routing of 1,020,166 meters.
In addition, 226 Tomskneftekhim employees were further trained to be able to operate the high-tech equipment installed during the upgrade.
Dmitry Konov, Chairman of SIBUR's Management Board, commented: «The key objective of the major upgrade at Tomskneftekhim (as supported by the Government of the Tomsk Region) is to improve the quality of our existing products and launch new ones. As a result, we will be able to substitute a significant amount of imported polymers used by Russian companies in the utilities, road construction, packaging and consumer goods production.»
