SIBUR resumes ethylene oxide, glycols in Dzerzhinsk

NIZHNY NOVGOROD. July 18 (Interfax) - SIBUR-Neftekhim, a division of Russian petrochemical group SIBUR, has resumed producing and shipping commercial ethylene oxide and glycols after the shutdown of production in Dzerzhinsk, Nizhny Novgorod Region due to a fire on July 12, the company said.

"We have launched one of two production lines. The launch of the second will be possible after an inspection, repairs and restoration of equipment," the company's press service quoted the plant's chief engineer, Mikhail Gurlev as saying.

By launching production, SIBUR has "closed the issue of resource security and stability in supplying customers," the press service said. The Dzerzhinsk plant is not the group's only ethylene oxide and glycol producer.

Production of ethylene oxide and glycols was suspended on July 12 due to a fire. The unsaturated hydrocarbons line, production of acrylic acid and ethers, as well as SIBUR-Neftekhim's power generation operated normally.

The fire, which covered an area of about 100 square meters, was put out by the fire service of the Emergency Situations Ministry. No one was hurt, and atmospheric emissions of pollutants on the boundary of the plant's sanitary buffer zone and nearby residential areas did not exceed maximum allowable levels.

SIBUR has several divisions in Nizhny Novgorod Region, including SIBUR-Neftekhim with the plant in Dzerzhinsk, which produces ethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, acrylic acid and ethers; SIBUR-Kstovo, a plant in Kstovo that produces ethylene, propylene, benzene, butylene-butadiene fraction, aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy pyrolysis oil; and RusVinyl, a plant in Kstovo that produces PVC and caustic soda. Biaksplen in Balakhna produces BOPP film.