Azerbaijan, Baku, March 4 / Trend E.Ismayilov /
The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) will be able to pass to production of diesel fuel in accordance with the Euro-4 standards on the basis of proposals made by the Y. G. Mamedaliyev Institute of Petrochemical Processes, a source at the Institute reported on Thursday.
"A concrete proposal was made to make such a transition", the source said.
The Heydar Aliyev Baku Oil Refinery will be specialized in production of diesel fuel on the basis of new quality standards the Institute worked out earlier, the source said. This standard had been confirmed by the State Committee for Standardization, Metrology and Patents and entered into force since January 2010.
In accordance with the new standards, it is possible to improve the quality of diesel fuel thanks to a considerable decrease of content of sulfur (to 0.005 percent) in it, the source noted.
According to earlier reports by the source, under forecasts, diesel fuel in European countries in 2009-2011 will be produced with the content of sulfur of 0.001 percent. To achieve the same indicator in Azerbaijan, it is necessary to reequip oil refining units completely. It will become possible to improve the quality of Azerbaijan-made diesel fuel up to the European standards only if the existing oil refinery is reequipped or a new petrochemical complex in Azerbaijan is built.
Davud Mamedov, SOCAR Vice-President in charge of refining, reported earlier that the standard of Azerbaijan-made diesel fuel would increase up to Euro-3 by April 2010 and subsequently up to Euro-4 prior to the end of 2010. They are maximally possible indicators of the quality of diesel fuel, under the existing capacities of SOCAR-owned oil refineries in Azerbaijan.
But as far as the conduct of large-scale refurbishment works at the existing oil refineries where the equipment is out of date would cost too expensively, it seems more expedient to build a new oil refining, petrochemical complex. Once such complex is built, the SOCAR will receive the opportunity to start producing fuel in accordance with the Euro-5 standards.
The Institute of Petrochemical Processes made its own suggestions over establishment of a new complex. "When this matter is put on the agenda, the SOCAR most likely will examine these suggestions", the source stressed.
Currently, SOCAR explores the opportunity of construction of a new oil refining, petrochemical complex to be situated in the Garadagh region. After the complex is put into operation, it will become possible to improve the quality of fuel up to the Euro-5 standard or even higher, Mamedov said.