SIBUR starts designing product pipeline for transporting raw petrochemicals to Tobolsk

SIBUR has begun carrying out engineering and surveying work in relation to the construction of the new petroleum product pipeline from the Yuzhno-Balyksky Gas Processing Complex to the site of «Tobolsk-Neftekhim». The total length of the pipeline should be more than 400 kilometres.

On this particular site, SIBUR owns an active product pipeline used for transporting raw petrochemicals — namely natural gas liquids (NGLs) — from the current pumping volume of 4.2 million tonnes per annum. The new pipeline will enable increasing the volume of raw petrochemicals being transported against the background of significant growth in the gas processing activities of SIBUR.

In the event that a final positive decision regarding its construction is indeed taken, the carrying capacity of the new product pipeline will amount to 7 million tonnes per annum, including carrying NGLs with high ethane content. It is planned that the old product pipeline is to be decommissioned immediately after putting the new one into operation.

The general contractor for the above-mentioned engineering and surveying work is Russia’s leading centre concerned with gas-processing technologies, the OJSC «Gas processing research and design institute».

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In recent years, SIBUR has implemented several projects aimed at significantly increasing the volume of associated petroleum gas (APG) that is processed. Processed gas products (NGLs) are transported via the product pipeline to the «Tobolsk-Neftekhim». In late 2009, the company increased the productive capacity of its gas fractionation plant to more than 3 million tonnes. As well, in preparation for the implementation, a project is currently underway for building new gas processing facilities with an additional petroleum refining capacity of 2.8 million tonnes of NGLs per annum.

The liquefied petroleum gases (LPG) produced from the NGLs are further supplied to the country’s petrochemical production facilities for further processing. LPGs serve as feedstock for the production of polypropylene in the future Tobolsk processing complex, the designed capacity of which is 500 thousand tonnes. The construction of this plant is being carried out by SIBUR"s subsidiary company «Tobolsk-Polymer».