Kremenchug refinery launched an isomerization unit
Ukrtatnafta on Monday put into operation an isomerization unit at the Kremenchug refinery (Poltava region), the company said.
An installation with a capacity of 350 thousand tons per year was launched on the basis of the converted sections S-200, S-400 of the LK-6U complex, which were previously mothballed.
"Investments amounted to about $ 30 million, the plant can now increase the production of gasoline, if the market has such a need," said a representative of Ukrtatnafta.
After the launch of the isomerization unit, the share of A-95 produced may increase to 80% of the total gasoline production at the Kremenchug refinery. Now the plant produces more A-92 gasoline.
As a result of the launch of the new equipment, it will be possible to reduce the sulfur content and increase the octane number in light gasoline fractions. Also, low-profit raffinate, which Ukrtatnafta exports to Hungary, will be excluded from the basket of products produced at the refinery.
The company will also be able to refuse to purchase imported volumes of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). In the component composition of gasoline, imported MTBE will be replaced with isomerate, which will be produced at our own plant. The refinery operates a unit for the production of MTBE, but the volume produced is insufficient to meet the refinery's demand for components.
Import of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) to the Ukrainian market in January-September decreased by almost 25 thousand tons compared to the same period last year, to 31.6 thousand tons, according to customs data. The entire volume this year came from Russia, although in 2019 small batches of the product were also imported from Belarus.