SIBUR's share of Russian maleic anhydride market grows to 80%

MOSCOW. Oct 31 (Interfax) - ZapSibNeftekhim LLC, a division of petrochemical group SIBUR in Tobolsk, has increased its share of Russia's maleic anhydride (MAH) market to 80% this year from 33% in 2022, SIBUR LLC managing director Darya Borisova said at the Moscow International Chemical Forum.

Consumption of this product has grown to 11,000 tonnes from 9,000 tonnes.

"But if we look at per capita consumption of this product in Russia and in the EU, it differs severalfold. And we still have potential that must be tapped to make products in the next processing stage from MAH, and this is a fairly wide range of products," Borisova said.

"And this is where there is joint work with interested parties and with entrepreneurs from medium businesses who have knowledge of technology in this sector. We're open to cooperation, prepared to develop joint projects to localize this production in Russia," Borisova said.

She said in her presentation that the most promising segments for using MAH in Russia include production of additives for lubricants and fuels (succinimide additives in oils, dispersant additives in diesel fuel); additives in concrete and ingredients for the food industry (tartaric acid and malic acid); the pulp-and-paper industry (hydrophobic elements (ASA)); reagents for the oil and gas industry (innovative chemical methods for increasing oil extraction rates, asphalt and paraffin deposit inhibitors); and specialized chemicals for various sectors (1,4-butanediol, N-methyl pyrrolidone).

ZapSibNeftekhim is the only company in Russia with facilities to produce MAH and began making this product in April 2022. It has design capacity to produce 45,000 tonnes of MAH per year.