Large oil reserves of our country make good prepositions for production of new types of products, which are cost-efficient in the world market.Hence, the construction of technology instalations at Turkmenbashy Refinery Complex by foreign partners is an important step in successful realization of the Programme of development of oil and gas industry of Turkmenistan until 2030.
Increase of volume of high quality oil products made in our country is one of the key aspects of this Programme.
Westport Trading Europe Limited, (WTL) from USA is a reliable partner of Turkmenistan and successfully operates in our country. Thus, two years ago, road bitumen production unit was put into operation at Seydi Refinery, which is a part of Turkmenbashy Complex as well as Euro 5 gasoline component installation was reconstructed in the beginning of the year.
Recently, the company won the tender on completion of construction of retarded coking and tar deasphalting installations.The retarded coking installation is designed for processing of heavy residuals of oil refinery like tar, black oil and asphalt into production of additional gas, gasoline, light and heavy gasoil and petroleum coke.
Deasphalting unit is designed for extraction of paraffin naphthene hydrocarbons for further production of lubricants and asphalt for retarded coking unit of Turkmenbashy Refinery Complex.
At present, the tachnologists of WTL develop the projects for production of new items from the hydrocarbons, which were not produced in Turkmenistan yet. Acicular coke is one of them. It is demanded in many strategic branches of the economy of developed states and its sale at the world oil market is highly profitable.
Acicular coke is highly structured hydrocarbon product with low content of metals and sulphur, - Deputy Director of Westpoint Europe Limited Branch in Turkmenistan Allaberdy Ylyasov says.This is an expensive product, which is received by oil refining and used for production of graphite electrodes.
The graphite and its products are actively implemented in atomic, metallurgic, chemical and space industries.Its demand makes favourable conditions for production of this item in Turkmenistan.
Turkmenbashy Refinery Complex produces two types of petroleum coke.They are total coke, which is semi—finished product and calcined coke.Comparing the prices of total coke in the world market, the cost of calcined coke is 5-7 times more and reach 2000 US dollars per ton.
By the estimates of international experts, the requirements in acicular coke will increase in the near future.
The main conditions for establishment of production of acicular coke are necessary reserves of high quality raw material and relative production powers for coking process.The coke with low sulphur content is potential material for production of acicular coke.
At present moment, Turkmenbashy Refinery Complex is the only facility in the CIS that produces low-sulphur coke (0.5 % of sulphur content).
During last few years, Westport Trading Limited takes an active part in the tenders opened in oil and gas industry of Turkmenistan.At the same time, foreign specialists offer to use most advanced solutions of the leading producers and researches in oil and gas refinery as well as the developments based on comprehensive scientific and practical researches.
These are the proposals on production of highly demanded acicular petroleum coke and other products.
Number of researches undertake by Ufa State Oil Technology University related with Turkmen oil have scientific research certificates.Last year, the Patent Bureau of Russian Federation has registered the discovery of innovative method of production of acicular coke from Turkmen oil and issued relative certificate.
Its authors were Board Chairman of Westport Trading Europe Limited, Candidate of Technical Sciences Nikolai Yurchenko, Chief Technologist of the Company, Doctor of Technical Sciences Gennady Valyavin and Deputy Director of Turkmenistan Branch, Doctor of Technical Sciences Allaberdy Ylyasov.
Developed technologies allow producing high quality acicular coke on the level of the world’s standards. Technical capabilities of Turkmenbashy Refinery Complex allows the establishment of beneficial production of high quality acicula coke.
Implementation of large-scale projects, aimed at production of competitive goods in the world markets, is one of strategic tasks of the development of oil and gas industry. Legal aspect of the investment activity is regulated by the Law of Turkmenistan on Foreign Economy Activity, on Foreign Investments, on Investment Activity in Turkmenistan and other.