Gazpromneft Bitumen Materials, operator of the Gazprom Neft bitumens business, has signed a cooperation agreement with the Federal state unitary enterprise Administration of civil airports on regulation governing the utilisation of innovative bitumen materials throughout Russian airfield facilities.

The two organisations are joining forces in order to improve secondary legislation and technical regulation governing the utilisation of bitumens in the construction of airfield facilities. The agreement envisages closer cooperation on issues including the development of long-term demand forecasts for innovative bitumen materials throughout the federal airports network, the development of an industry-wide bitumen products quality control system, and the testing and monitoring of binding materials used in aerodrome infrastructure facilities.

Gazpromneft Bitumen Materials and Administration of civil airports will, together, undertake research and development to create innovative products for use in the construction, reconstruction, repair and equipping of civil airfield facilities.

Dmitry Orlov, CEO, Gazpromneft Bitumen Materials, commented: “Innovation plays a major role in the construction of airfield facilities. As Russia’s market leader in terms of innovative bitumen production Gazpromneft Bitumen Materials is open to long?term engagement with aviation industry specialists, leading to the development and production of unique bitumen products designed specifically for airfields. Improving regulation governing the utilisation of innovative bitumen materials in airport construction is also important to us.”

Mikhail Zherebtsov, General Director of Administration of civil airports, added: “Our organisation is responsible for the reconstruction of airfield infrastructure throughout Russia. Given the fact that many facilities operate under quite complex climatic and environmental conditions, it is very important to us that facilities are of the best possible quality in order to ensure their longest possible useful life, while also reducing refurbishment and maintenance costs. We have every confidence that collaboration with Gazpromneft Bitumen Materials will allow us to effectively address the issues we face in this respect.”

Gazpromneft Bitumen Materials (Gazpromneft BM LLC) is a subsidiary of Gazprom Neft, specialising in the production and sale of bitumen products. Established in October 2014, the company now holds a leading position on the Russian bitumens market.

With production facilities located in Moscow, and in the Omsk, Yaroslavl and Ryazan Oblasts, as well as Kazakhstan and Serbia, the company produces road, construction and roofing bitumens, as well as polymer-modified bitumens and binders (specifically G-Way Styrelf), and bitumen emulsions and fillers.

Gazprom Neft uses a variety of transport solutions to ensure the supply of bitumen materials throughout Russia, the CIS, and abroad. The company’s facilities in Omsk, Yaroslavl and Ryazan are equipped with specialist packaging production lines allowing the transportation of bitumen products throughout the country’s most remote and inaccessible regions.

Administration of civil airports FSUE was established in September 2002 (under Governmental Decree No. 1353-r) to address the development of viable aviation infrastructure in Russia and the development of the country’s transportation system. It is the asset-holder and operator of the company’s federal civil aviation airfields and other amenities, also responsible for airports undergoing reconstruction under federal special-purpose programmes. It falls under the control of the Federal Air Transport Agency.