SIBUR's new olefin complex EP-600 received its first tons of ethylene
The first tons of ethylene have been produced at SIBUR's new production facility in Nizhnekamsk. This is the main product of the complex, it meets all the necessary requirements and has already been sent to consumers - the «Nizhnekamskneftekhim» and «Kazanorgsintez» plants - for the production of products of the following stages. The production of commercial ethylene is a key stage in the commissioning of EP-600. The project is being implemented according to schedule, reaching the design capacity is planned by the end of 2025.
The raw material for the unit is straight-run gasoline produced by enterprises of the oil refining industry of Tatarstan. Its annual consumption volume will exceed 1.8 million tons. The production capacity of EP-600 allows for the production of up to 600 thousand tons of ethylene, more than 270 thousand tons of propylene, 245 thousand tons of benzene and 88 thousand tons of butadiene. The products of the new complex will make it possible to produce more durable pipes, reliable roads, eco-friendly tires and thermal insulation materials in Russia.
The completion of construction doubled the capacity of «Nizhnekamskneftekhim» for the production of ethylene and its derivatives. At the same time, for the first time in the Russian petrochemical industry, commissioning work on a project of this scale is carried out using our own expertise - without the support of licensors and equipment manufacturers. The olefin complex will ensure the further development of the Volga petrochemical cluster and create an incentive for the creation of new chains for the production of finished products with high added value.
«Nizhnekamskneftekhim» General Director Marat Falyakhov: "It is symbolic that the team of petrochemists is entering the new 2025 on a positive note - with a new modern, environmentally friendly production facility that doubles our capacity and opens up great prospects for bringing new domestic products to the market. Thanks to the well-coordinated work of the highly professional team of the ethylene complex and SIBUR, we are launching EP-600 in full compliance with all labor protection and industrial safety regulations and rules."
EP-600 is the largest project to create new capacities in the modern history of the petrochemical industry of Tatarstan and one of the key ones for the industry on a national scale.
Head of the TIDA Taliya Minullina: "Investments in the EP-600 project amounted to about 200 billion rubles. Import substitution of synthetic materials is a necessary condition for ensuring technological sovereignty. In the context of global challenges and sanctions, our country must be able to independently produce key components for various industries, such as automotive, construction, medicine and many others. The development of domestic production of synthetic materials will allow us to reduce the risks associated with external supplies and create a sustainable base for long-term economic growth."
In conjunction with the new ethylene, SIBUR will implement a whole range of projects aimed at import substitution of widely demanded modern synthetic materials, including polystyrene, complex grades of polyethylene and ABS plastics. Also, based on EP-600 products, the first hexene production in Russia will begin operations - a special component that is indispensable for creating complex grades of polyethylene with improved properties. A unique installation for its production in the country is already being built in Nizhnekamsk based on the company's own technology and will begin operations in 2025. The total cost of SIBUR's petrochemical development projects in Tatarstan exceeds half a trillion rubles.