On December 14, in an interview to CentralAsia.news, famous Turkmen scientist, doctor of technical sciences and expert Allaberdi Ilyasov spoke about the realization of the potential of the oil and gas industry of Turkmenistan, structural achievements and economic benefits within the framework of the strategic concept for the development of the fuel and energy complex of the country until 2030.
Innovative technologies
The oil and gas sector is the most important component of the economy of Turkmenistan. The oil and gas processing and chemical industries play a special role in the use of its capacities, the leader of which is the Turkmenbashi Complex of Oil Refineries.
A prerequisite for the successful cooperation of Turkmenistan with foreign partners is, first of all, the progressive foreign policy of the leader of the nation Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The «open door» policy enables world-renowned companies in various fields of activity to successfully cooperate with Turkmenistan. Foreign experts use the most advanced technical projects of leading manufacturers and researchers in the field of oil refining, as well as their own original developments based on comprehensive scientific and practical research with oil from Turkmenistan.
For example, in 2016, a modern technological unit for the production of road bitumen was put into operation at the Seydi Oil Refinery. The newest unique technology of production of Turkmen raw materials was developed by Westport Trading Europe Limited, which makes it possible to obtain road bitumen that meets international quality standards. The creation of modern, high-tech and efficient production lines in Turkmenistan on the basis of the TCOR meets the objectives of the Program for the Development of the Oil and Gas Industry of Turkmenistan until 2030.
Despite the global economic downturn in connection with the coronavirus pandemic at the Turkmenbashi Complex of Oil Refineries, the specialists of the same company are completing the construction of the Complex of Delayed Coking and Tar Deasphalting Units. It is designed for processing all heavy plant residues into more valuable light oil products — gasoline, diesel fuels and electrode coke. The construction of the units will have a positive effect on the economic and environmental efficiency of the entire enterprise as a whole.
Today, the best available technologies are used for the construction of the Complex of Delayed Coking and Tar Deasphalting Units. Technologies tested in Russia, Europe, and the USA will be debugged on an industrial scale at the units. In order to train personnel for work in the future workshop, a technological simulator for the operation of the ultrasonic inspection will be developed. This simulator will train operators in «virtual» work prior to completion of construction and commissioning of the workshop itself. This approach will increase safety during commissioning.
Valuable product in the world market
The delayed coking unit will allow TCOR not only to increase the yield of light oil products at lower capital costs compared to other deep oil refining processes, but also to launch new products — petroleum coke and needle coke.
Needle coke is a key raw material for the production of UHP graphite electrodes used in heavy industry — for smelting low-carbon and alloy steels, ferroalloys and other special alloys in glass-melting and arc ore-thermal furnaces, and for the smelting of cast iron, steel, non-ferrous metals and special alloys in electrothermal installations. It is mainly used in metallurgy due to its unique properties, allowing the production of ultra-powerful graphite electrodes. It is these electrodes that are used in the defense, electronic and nuclear industries.
The main condition for organizing the industrial production of needle coke is the availability of the necessary resources of high-quality raw materials and the appropriate capacity for coking. Low-sulfur coke is a potentially useful feedstock for needle coke production. The developed technologies make it possible to obtain high-quality needle coke at the level of world standards. Using catalytic technologies, oil residues can be used to produce not only ordinary coke, but also a completely new product from oil. The technological potential of the TCOR corresponds to the establishment of a profitable production of high-quality needle coke.
Ecology of production
Changes in the level of impact on the environment during storage and disposal of waste will not occur, since the implementation of the project will reduce the burden on the environment. All waste will be disposed of according to the existing scheme at the enterprise. A forecast of changes in the state of biotic components of the environment, and the development of recommendations for organizing its comprehensive monitoring of components will also ensure that the project meets the requirements of environmental safety at all stages of its implementation. After all, the protection and improvement of the human environment for the present and future generations is the most important goal of mankind.
Based on the strategic concept of the Sustainable Development Goals, today innovative technologies to preserve the ecological environment are used in Turkmenistan. Therefore, the Complex of Delayed Coking and Tar Deasphalting Units are environmental orderly, since during its design a number of measures to minimize the impact on the environment as much as possible were envisaged.
Modern solutions for the construction of a new facility can significantly reduce energy consumption during operation and increase the yield and quality of products in comparison with previously designed standard installations. The set of technical solutions and measures presented in the technical project will ensure the reliability, efficiency and safe operation of the facility, as well as environmental protection
Oil and gas industry logistics
The export-oriented oil and gas sector is the most important tool for ensuring the economic stability of our state. Its qualitative development is a key task of the state strategy. The formation of logistics services plays an important role in our country. Work at mining and processing facilities is associated with increased responsibility, strict safety and environmental protection requirements. That is why the organization of logistics in the oil and gas industry requires a complex, often unique, approach to building a supply chain.
The prospects for international economic relations and foreign trade of Turkmenistan determine the growth of the volumes of processed cargo flows. The role of all existing and newly created large transport hubs is systematically increasing in the corresponding service.
Transport corridors are of great importance for the joint work of the state with other countries, the development of the transport industry in solving social and economic problems. Turkmenistan is actively working on the formation of multimodal transport and transit corridors, and this work has a beneficial effect on the development of trade and economic ties at the regional and international levels.
For example, the geographical location of the Seydi Oil Refinery increases and expands opportunities for the effective implementation of the transit and transport potential of Turkmenistan, as well as its interaction in the energy and communication sectors of the Eurasian continent, and integration into the system of modern international economic relations.
Enterprises of the domestic fuel and energy complex are gradually implementing large-scale projects aimed at diversifying the oil and gas industry, developing its industrial potential, transport infrastructure and increasing the export of energy resources in demand on world markets such as Pakistan, Afghanistan, India with access to the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. After all, the provision of Turkmenistan with a well-formed system of transport and logistics services is a factor of a progressing economy.
Industry roadmap
Thanks to investments in the modernization of the Turkmenbashi Complex of Oil Refineries, today the enterprise produces many petrochemical products, which are sold mainly on the foreign market. Therefore, the construction of high-tech industries creates broad prospects for the further development of the country’s fuel and energy complex.
President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov initiated a number of large-scale innovative projects that are important for further disclosing the economic potential of the oil and gas chemical industry of Turkmenistan. The use of innovative technologies ensures further processing of oil and gas with the subsequent production of more valuable petrochemical products.
The construction of technological units at the Turkmenbashi Complex of Oil Refineries is an important step towards the successful implementation of the Program for the Development of the Oil and Gas Industry of Turkmenistan until 2030. One of the key aspects of this program is to increase the production of high-quality petroleum products in the country. The implementation of large-scale investment projects aimed at the production of products competitive on world markets is one of the strategic objectives of the development of the oil and gas industry in Turkmenistan.
