23 Mar 2010 15:38

Oil cos could pump 1.5 trillion rubles into refining by 2015

KHANTY-MANSIISK. March 23 (Interfax) - Oil companies could invest 1.5 trillion rubles in efforts to increase refining depth and the progression to higher euro-standard fuel production by 2015, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Igor Sechin said at an energy efficiency conference.

Product yield at Russian refineries is still extremely low at 72% on average, Sechin said.

In general, Sechin said primary energy-saving initiatives could save the economy 51 million tonnes of standard fuel by 2015 and 94 million tonnes by 2020.

Also, he said "new technical solutions could in time reduce the cost of transporting [oil and gas] by up to 42%" by improving the efficiency ratio of pumping equipment from 27%, which is way below the world best of 42%.