Azerbaijan, Baku, June 3 / Trend E. Ismayilov /
SOCAR is working to start production by late 2011, in accordance with gasoline-standard Euro-3, SOCAR head Rovnag Abdullayev said.
He said that sort of gasoline produced at SOCAR's refineries, meet Euro-2 standard and even exceed them in quality. The work was conducted for several years in the factories, Abdullayev said.
"Our gasoline complies with Euro-2. I would say that it is even higher than this level. But in achieving the level of Euro-3, we have some deficiencies in this area. We are also working to pass to Euro-3 standard by late 2011, " Abdullayev said.
Abdullayev said that SOCAR can produce petrol at its refinery that meets the standards of Euro-4, but this requires the construction of new facilities. However, the lack of vacant space in the city center forced SOCAR to make a decision to build a new refinery. A feasibility study is currently being prepared. A new oil refinery will enable to begin production of fuel-standard Euro-5 and higher level in 6-7 years.
SOCAR deputy president for processing David Mammadov said that a new complex envisages deep processing of hydrocarbon resources of Azerbaijan, in particular, natural and associated gas, oil refining to obtain oil products, automotive fuels and lubricants, as well as the development of a new petrochemical-based products of oil and gas processing.
The complex also includes the construction of its own power station. According to preliminary data (resulting from the calculation of the population by 2050, the number of vehicles, consumption of fuel and lubricants), the volume of gas processing in the complex will amount to 40 billion cubic meters a year, and processing capacity of crude oil (with the prospect for the next 40 years) is approximately 15 million tons.
It is assumed that the entire complex will work at full capacity in 2018-2019, respectively. First, the construction of gas processing and petrochemical enterprises will begin. Phased construction of a thermal power center will be held for basic domestic needs of the complex.