ONSITE VISIT TO THE PRODUCTION SITE OF STAVROLEN (LUKOIL)

About the plant

Stavrolen (part of LUKOIL since 1998) is Russia’s second largest producer of low-pressure polyethylene and the third in terms of polypropylene output.

The plant annually produces over 300k tonnes of polyethylene, 120k tonnes of polypropylene, 80k tonnes of benzol, 50k tonnes of vinyl acetate.

What has been done

Within 2010-2018 the company executed a series of key modernisation projects:

• Technical upgrading of an operating ethylene production unit EP-250 to boost its gas processing capacity;
• Technical upgrading of a ventilation cooling tower № 10 of SK-400 VOC-1 type.
• Commissioning of hydrogen generation using short-cycle adsorption method;
• Commissioning of a gas processing unit of the first start-up complex, 2,2bn cm/y (raw mat);
• Modernisation of a reactor section for polyethylene production which allowed to expand brand assortment of products with advanced consumptive qualities;
• Energy-efficiency improvement activities.

Plans

• A project for the establishment of a gas chemical complex on the premises of Stavrolen. According to the official announcement of LUKOIL President, 120bn RUB will be invested in the construction. Project FID was adopted in February 2018. Project lead time is about 5 years; commissioning is expected not earlier 2024. The new capacities will process gas coming from the Caspian fields named Rakushechnoye and Kuvykina. The first phase of the project is aimed to produce carbamide, the second – polyethylene and polypropylene. Plant’s capacity is estimated at 2m tonnes of products per year.
• In the near future another 4 investment projects valued at 2,7bn RUB will be developed: modernisation of a cracking furnace, replacement of benzol units, upgrading of a management system at one of the workshops, introduction of a comprehensive safety system.