Page 11 - FSUOGM Week 28 2021

FSUOGM PROJECTS & COMPANIES FSUOGM

INK wins Irkutsk licence tender

RUSSIA MID-SIZED Eastern Siberian oil producer provinces of Krasnoyarsk and Yakutia.
Irkutsk Oil (INK) has won an auction for rights
INK has so far focused to the Tubinsky oil and gas block in the Irkutsk Blue ammonia
almost exclusively on oil region in a tender, Russia’s natural resources INK has so far focused almost exclusively on
development, but it has ministry reported on July 12. oil development, as it has been unable to mon-
gas plans. INK paid RUB30.6mn ($410,000) for a etise its gas resources because of infrastructure
licence for the block, compared with an initial constraints and limited demand in the regions
asking price of RUB27.8mn. The block spans where it works. But it is working to expand its gas
5,000 square km and contains 2mn tonnes processing capacity and launch a petrochemicals
(14.7mn barrels) of oil, 3mn tonnes (27mn bar- plant to make use of impurities found in its gas.
rels) of condensate and 87bn cubic metres of gas INK revealed on July 9 it had agreed to under-
in D1+D2 reserves, according to the ministry. take the second stage of a feasibility study with
Russian authorities also offered rights to the Japanese partners JOGMEC and Toyo Engineer-
Bilchirsky, Polivinsky and Yuzhno-Teteysky, but ing on the production of so-called blue ammo-
those auctions were called off after only single nia from natural gas in Eastern Siberia. CO2 that
bids were received for each licence. would otherwise be emitted during the produc-
INK is one of the biggest oil producers tion of the ammonia could be captured and rein-
working in Eastern Siberia, producing around jected into INK’s oilfields, boosting oil recovery,
170,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude. Most of the company explained.
its projects are located in the Irkutsk region, but Around 80% of the world’s ammonia supply
it has also branched out into the neighbouring is used for in agriculture to produce fertilisers.™

Tatneft, MOL start on bitumen project

RUSSIA TATARSTAN-BASED oil producer and Hun- Tatneft plans to build several other new units
garian counterpart MOL have announced plans at its TANECO complex under an investment
The plant will use worn- to build a rubber-modified bitumen plant at the plan supported by the state. These include new
out tyres to produce latter’s TANECO refining and petrochemicals units for delayed coking, catalytic cracking,
astringent for road complex. heavy residue hydro-conversion and diesel fuel
surfaces. The plant, which will use technology pro- isodewaxing. Russia’s energy ministry has agreed
vided by MOL, will produce up to 25,000 tonnes to support the projects by providing Tatneft with
per year of high-quality astringent for road sur- a reduced excise tax on crude oil until January
faces, using 500,000 worn-out automotive tyres, 2031, as long as it completes the new units by the
Tatneft said in a statement on July 6. It is due to end of 2026.
start operations in 2023. Tatneft is also working to raise TANECO’s
The project will cost RUB1.2bn ($16mn) to nameplate oil processing capacity from 200,000
realise, partly funded through tenders arranged to 260,000 barrels per day. ™
by the Hungarian Export Support Agency
(HEPA). HEPA has also provided a grant to sup-
port the use of MOL’s technology, covering up to
50% of capital costs. In addition, MOL and Tat-
neft have agreed to form a 51:49 joint venture to
build and operate the facility. This partnership
could undergo changes five years after the plant’s
launch.
The project was officially launched during
a ceremony attended by Tatarstan President
Rustam Minnikhanov, Hungarian Foreign
Minister Peter Siyarto, Tatneft General Direc-
tor Ilshat Salakhov and other officials and
compny representatives, including from
MOL. Commenting on the project, MOL
said the business of recycling tyres had great
potential.

Week 28 14•July•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P11