HEYDAR ALIYEV BAKU OIL REFINERY -

PROGRESSIVE POSITIONS IN OIL REFINING INDUSTRY

 

he oil&gas strategy of Azerbaijan was laid by the Contract of the Century, on September 20, 1994. Further, that day was celebrated as a Day of Oilman. Its contribution to the strategy launched by Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev and continued by President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev, is making the team of Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery. The international HSE certificates enable the plant to supply the local market's demand and deliver its production abroad.

The plant formation is closely tied to the name of Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev. Under his constant supervision, process units have been erected and commissioned in the late 1970s. Currently running catalytic reforming unit that triggered a breakthrough in gasoline quality, as well as the 6MT/year capacity ELOU-AVT-6 crude distillation plant, were successfully installed at the refinery that time.

Upon Heydar Aliyev's return to power, the construction of the state-of-the-art Q-103-43M catalytic cracking facility launched at his personal initiative has been completed with his direct support.

During his office, Heydar Aliyev was keeping in the center of his attention and attaching high significance to development of petroleum industry, especially our Refinery. While on top, he visited the refinery more than 20 times, met with employees, asked about their problems and concerns and gave his suggestions and directions.

Despite his treatment in Cleveland, USA, Azerbaijan's national leader Heydar Aliyev paid his attention to employees of the Refinery and on the eve of its 50th jubilee awarded outstanding employees with medals and orders issued by President Ilham Aliyev when he attended the refinery on May 5, 2004. At the Refinery, President Ilham Aliyev in his speech emphasized the work of oil refining men and said that yet during his Vice-Presidency with SOCAR he always was attaching special importance to operation and development of this enterprise. Familiarizing with the refinery and appraising the results, he said: «Social problems are solved here, the salary is growing up and it makes me glad».

At the request of the refinery's team it was named after great ruler Heydar Aliyev that contributed immeasurably to the formation and development of the Refinery; a museum was opened up and a bust monument of national leader installed at the plant alongside Heydar Aliyev's Center created to study his rich heritage: the lessons on his activity both in oil industry and all spheres of the country's life are given here.

The current policy of Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev enabled to country to achieve the world-unmatched economic figures. Currently observed rates of Azerbaijan's economy growth are inseparable from the country's oil industry progress. The role of oil processing industry leader, Heydar Aliyev BOR, is quite significant in economic strength of the country and growth of its industrial capacities.

The last years' events arranged at the refinery are a small part the refinery's team could grant in return for the long care and attention from the national leader.

With their high professionalism, the refinery employees overfulfilled the assigned tasks and, achieving high results, gained more economic strength for the enterprise. The team of the refinery, in a worthy manner maintaining traditions laid by national leader Heydar Aliyev, made a basic stress on the increase of production volume and compliance with international standards. In witness of that, during the first half-year 2007 the team of the Refinery managed to increase production figures significantly over year. During the reported period, they refined 2.4694MT of crude, 160,900 ton of straight-run gasoline fraction, and 115,900 ton of black oil. Refined crude during 6 months of 2007 displayed an increase of 498,800 ton (22.2%) over year.

This year's production figures for the reported period displayed a significant increase over year. In other words, amount of refined crude during the reported period rose over year owing to a number of actions taken by the Refinery team. So, total production of gasoline rose by 220,300 ton, including 105,900ton of motor gasoline, 46,900 ton of jet-propulsion fuel, 99,200 ton of diesel fuel, 18,900 ton of liquefied gas and 48,900 ton of black oil. In general, the production increase at the plant was 411,500 ton versus 6 months of 2006а.

Today, the source of growth of economic potential, increase of revenue fund, creation of new workplaces and tailoring to meet world standards is development of new production capacities. To achieve this goal, Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery, guided by 2005-2015 State FEC Development Program, is performing a number of important operations. In this respect, the plant named after national leader Heydar Aliyev is going to make high-quality production using the up-to-date technology.

The Refinery is working to implement advanced technology and equipment, state-of-the-art units and automated process management systems. In particular, such process management system was applied at G-43-107М facility (catalytic cracking).

Aiming at increase of production and obtaining of additional fuel oil and various black oils, the Refinery suggests joint refining of heavy petroleum fractions using coking and viscosity breaking. In the future it is planned to implement a new automated process management system (ТДС-3000) at the delayed coking unit and rehabilitate gas-fractionation and gasoline harmonization unit.

Further it is planned to launch the design of implementation of said automated process management system at the catalytic reforming unit for heavy gasoline fractions.

ELOU-AVT-6 crude distillation plant launched in November 1976 is still working orderly. However, the Refinery is planning its reconstruction to raise its capacity to 7.5MT of crude per annum and obtain high-quality products in compliance with international standards.

The Refinery produces motor gasoline satisfying the requirements of AZS standard (Azerbaijan) and almost satisfying European requirements.

Due to the suspension of work of TS-1 kerosene refining units at Azerneftyag ORP, Heydar Aliyev BOR in 2007 erected and commissioned a new alkali purification unit for kerosene distillate.

Last time the Refinery produces pollution-free diesel fuel of a very high quality, due to the low content of total and mercaptan sulfur. This was achieved through hydrotreatment of diesel distillate using new generation hydrotreating catalyst.

Following this, in order to improve environmental background of Baku and the entire republic in the long-term outlook, the Refinery has scheduled the construction of units to purify fuel gas and condensate from sulfides and obtain total sulfur using MEROX technology.

Economic success of the enterprise created the opportunity to solve social problems of people working at Heydar Aliyev BOR. It was always the Refinery's priority to care of well-being and decent leisure of employees. The management of the plant always followed the recommendations and instructions of national leader concerning improvement of employees welfare and resolution of their housing problems. The practice of employees provision with apartments was continued through 2007. An example is the construction of a 12-storey building with 60 apartments at G.Garayev Avenue to provide apartments to oil refining men as well as martyrs' families and disabled veterans. At the same Avenue, two 17-storey buildings with 85 and 68 apartments will be commissioned this year and during 1Q2008, respectively. In 2007, 650 employees of the plant have been provided a free-of-charge vacation in Nabran. Furthermore, 700 families spent their vacations in various recreation areas. Solution of communal problems of the refinery employees are also a success.

Material and social support of employees and assistance in solving their problems is always in the center of refinery management's attention.

Heydar Aliyev BOR, proudly bearing the national leader's name, is determined to firmly hold the flag of a leader of Azerbaijan's oil refining industry and contribute to Azerbaijan's transformation into a rich and powerful state.