OREANDA-NEWS. On July 18, 2008 AB Mazeikiu Nafta informed that the refining volumes increased by more than forty per cent during the first six months of 2008, and the yields of light petroleum products increased by almost five per cent as compared to last year’s half year results, reported the press-centre of Mazeikiu Nafta.
 
During the first six months of 2008, AB Mazeikiu Nafta processed 4,7 million tons of feedstock, including 4,4 million tons of crude oil, what represents a 47% growth as compared to the same period of 2007 (3,2 million tons of feedstock, including 2,5 million tons of crude oil).

In the second quarter of 2008 more than 2,5 million tons of feedstock was processed what constitutes increase of more than 15%, as compared to the first three months of 2008, and 35%, as compared to the first three months of 2007.

Comparing the first half year of 2008 to the same period of 2007, production of light petroleum products – gasoline, diesel fuel, etc. – from the same quantity of crude oil increased by almost five per cent. Total volume production of fuels in the second quarter of 2008 increased by 17% as compared to the first quarter of the current year and almost 40% in comparison with the corresponding period of 2007.

In 2008, AB Mazeikiu Nafta’s capacity utilization increased by almost 40 per cent as compared to 2007.

Marek Mroczkowski, General Director of AB Mazeikiu Nafta, in evaluation of the performance results of the first half of this year, told that this year the biggest impact on the refinery operations was made by the Vacuum Distillation Unit, restarted at the beginning of the year, and the refinery modernization, which was started in 2007 and which will allow improving the performance efficiency.

This year, the Company is continuing the refinery modernization: construction of the Hydrogen Plant is nearing to completion and the new Diesel Desulphurization Unit, intended for production of sulfur-free diesel fuel, should be commissioned at the end of the year. AB Mazeikiu Nafta started production of the sulfur-free gasoline last year, and the new Diesel Desulphurization Unit will allow increasing the production of environmentally friendlier fuels.