SOCAR: Closing Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery for renovations will have no impact on gasoline prices

Baku.1 June. REPORT.AZ/ ”Adjustment works are carried out in all oil refineries once a year pursuant to procedures. As well as, the Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery is subject to these adjustment procedures as per schedule every year”.

This was told by SOCAR’s Public Relations officer Ibrahim Ahmadov who commented the information spread in regard to the allegations on the increase of prices in the internal market after stopping the operation of  the Refinery in October, Report informs.

According to I.Ahmadov, closing Baku Oil Refinery for renovations and temporary gazoline import from abroad won’t impact on the prices in internal market:

“As a rule, we stock up the petrol in a definite volume for that period. Presently and afterwards, the large-scale modernization and reconstruction works are performed in the Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery . The purpose of these works is to produce the qualitative fuel and high-octane petrol conforming to “Euro-5” standard. The term of adjustment works is increased more in view of modernization activities. Therefore, we import petrol from abroad for meeting the demand. We did it so in the past, as well and it will be so this year. This is not a new one. There were not any changings in market prices and no changing is expected this year. That is to say, temporary petrol import won’t impact on the market in any way”.

It should be noted that transferring of ELOU-AVT plant (initial processing of oil) in the former “Azerneftyagh” Oil Refinery together with its vacuun block the annual productivity of which is 2 mln. tons to the Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery (BNEZ) will be finalized by the end of 2020. Modernization and reconstruction program of the Heydar Aliyev Oil Refinery will be finalized in the 1st Quarter of 2021. Transferring of ELOU AVT plant is likely to be completed by the end of 2021. After this process, adjustment and comisssioning process will be carried out.

Main ELOU-AVT-6 plant in the Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery for initial processing of oil is a combined atmospheric-vacuum plant having 6 mln. tons of rude oil processing capacity together with initial demineralization of oil and gasoline re-distillation. The plant was constructed in accordance with fundamental reconstruction plan of Baku refineries in 1976.

Execution of reconstruction and modernization project of Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery is considered in three stages (bitum, diesel and petrol). The annual processing capacity will be increased to 7,5 mln. tons from the present annual processing capacity of 6 mln. tons. At present, a new bitum plant with annual production capacity of 400 thousand tons is constructed in the Refinery and the plant will get started in the 3rd Quarter of the oncoming year. Diesel stage is likely to be finalized on the 30th of November, 2020, gasoline stage on February 28, 2021.

After completing the envisaged renovation works in the Enterprise, the annual production volume of automobile gasoline will make up 2,2 mln. tons, diesel fuel – 3 mln. tons, “white oil” (gas condensate)-1 mln. ton.

It should be noted that, pursuant to Order of the 24th December, 2014, signed by SOCAR’s president, stopping the operation of the “Azerneftyagh” Refinery was decided by joining the Heydar Aliyev Oil Refinery in 2015.

After demolition of all plants in “Azerneftyagh”, cleaning works will be carried out here and the territory will be handed over to “Agh Sheher” (White City) project.