OREANDA-NEWS. The latest stage in Gazprom Neft’s construction of a new advanced oil refining complex (AORC) has now been completed at its Omsk Refinery — one of a series of key projects in its full-scale modernisation of the plant. Installation of major long-manufacturing-cycle equipment including the assembly of 17 elements for the complex at the AORC construction site is now complete. A 64-metre column, weighing 350 tonnes, the installation of which marked the completion of large-scale equipment installation, will be the highest point of the complex.

The column was held aloft for a period of several hours by two high-lifting-capacity cranes, specially delivered to Omsk for the purpose of assembling equipment at the complex — reactors, separators and high-pressure heat exchangers having also been previously installed at the site. All major equipment for the complex has been produced by Russian manufacturers. Construction of overhead gangways and steam-reforming furnaces for the AORC is currently ongoing at the site.

The AORC construction project at the Omsk Refinery forms part of the second stage of Gazprom Neft’s programme of modernising all of its oil refining facilities, directed at increasing refining depth and the yield of light petroleum products. Implementation of this project is of major importance in improving refining depth — one of the most important indicators of operational efficiency in oil refining — at the Omsk Refinery.

The AORC will combine the processes of hydro-cracking vacuum gas oil, hydrogen and sulphur production, and will allow the production of light petroleum products from heavy residues.