Pilot import substitution project in oil and gas complex of Russia will be implemented in Bashkiria

UFA, 28 May 2015. /Bashinform News Agency, Elvira Latypova/. One of the top ten industrial projects of import-substituting technologies selected by the Expert Council of the Fund for Industrial Development, will be implemented in Bashkortostan. Moscow JSC "Giprogazoochistka" will launch a unit of modular utilization of hydrogen sulfide gas at the Bashkir refinery. This was reported in the materials of the Fund.

As the press service of "Giprogazoochistka" explained, the company will apply SmartSulf technology at the branch of "Bashneft-UNPZ". This technology implies compact equipment arrangement and achieving 99.5 percent sulfur recovery without additional purification. The new line will produce up to 50 thousand tons of sulfur per year, and sulfur emissions will be minimal - up to 0.5 percent.

It is important for the environment of the republic that the toxic hydrogen sulphide gas will be safely disposed. Sulfur is used in the chemical, pulp and paper industries, mining and metallurgy. Especially it is widely used in the manufacture of fertilizers.

According to the Fund, the modular unit will be put into operation by the end of 2018. However, Bashneft informs that the project is scheduled for completion by 2017.

This project, as well as nine other projects selected by the Fund for Industry Development will be implemented with the involvement of soft loans for co-financing. The soft loan for the "Giprogazoochistka" project constituted 500 million rubles.

Industrial companies submitted more than 550 applications to participate in the program of import substitution. Of these, the Expert Council chose 10 companies that would receive preferential loans worth 3 billion 267 million rubles. The total investment in these projects will amount to 9 billion 269 million rubles.

The Industry Development Fund is established at the initiative of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation in 2014 by restructuring the Russian Technological Development Fund.