MINSK, 4 January (BelTA) – Chairman of the Belarusian state petrochemical concern Belneftekhim Andrei Rybakov has told the concern's corporate magazine how prices for automobile fuel for the population will be changed in 2021, BelTA has learned.
The official said: “We don't intend to abandon the time-tested practice, of which the population and the private sector generally hold a favorable view. Depending on oil price changes and taking into account the complex evaluation of the operation of oil refineries, fuel prices will be either raised or decreased by Br0.01 per liter per week.”
Asked about the diversification of oil deliveries in 2021, the official said that diversification is not a goal per se but part of the modern market of oil and oil products. “The stable operation of the entire petrochemical industry relies on the possibility of a maneuver in the present conditions. The experience we accumulated in 2020 will surely be useful in the future. Our refineries have tried processing new oil varieties and mixes, have practiced new logistics in cooperation with world traders. During the next stage we will practice other ways of product deliveries because new opportunities are opening up for us in Russian ports. We are now actively working on it,” he noted.
Andrei Rybakov also summed up last year's results. As much as 1.564 million tonnes of oil was extracted in January-November 2020. Belarusian oil refineries processed 14.687 million tonnes of oil. The refinery yield rose by three percentage points in comparison with the same period of 2019 to 79.3%, with the output of light oil products up to nearly 61%. Belarusian petrochemical products were exported to 95 countries across the globe in January-November 2020, with the value of the exports estimated at $4.2 billion. Export losses due to falling prices were partially compensated for by exporting more nitrogen fertilizers, NPK and NP fertilizers, polyester fibers, and polypropylene nonwoven fabric.
The oil refinery Naftan has finished building a delayed coking complex. Metal structures, cables and conductors, heat insulation parts are being installed at the main facility of the complex – an oil residue delayed coking plant. Hydraulic tests of the process pipes are in progress. Startup and commissioning operations are being done simultaneously.
Mozyr Oil Refinery is about to finish a large-scale investment project for building a black oil hydrocracking complex. Construction and installation operations are nearing completion at the hydrogen production plant. Hydraulic tests of the process pipes and equipment are in progress. Construction and installation operations are nearly finished at the sulfur production plant. The construction of a hydrocracking plant is in the final phase.
Andrei Rybakov said: “Focus is being shifted to new projects. The construction of a nitrogen complex at Grodno Azot will allow fully satisfying the country's demand for nitrogen fertilizers and preserving the company's export potential. The carbamide output ability will be increased by 1.286 million tonnes per annum. The construction of the oil trunk line Gomel-Gorki began in 2020. The project is being implemented for the sake of improving the logistics of oil deliveries, promptly managing oil reserves, including state reserves.”
