Quality of local gasoline to improve in Azerbaijan

    593

    The quality of the gasoline output will improve significantly after the upgrade of oil refining industry of Azerbaijan.

    The gasoline, produced in Azerbaijan, meets Euro-2 standards, said SOCAR Vice-President on oil refining Davud Mammadov, during his speech on one of the local TV channels.

    “In the CIS countries only Azerbaijan produces such type of gasoline. We focused mainly on diesel fuel, because its can modified quickly and at a lower cost. We have upgraded its quality in line with the Euro-4 standard,” Mammadov said.

    The Vice-President noted that the low quality gasoline negatively affects the environment and public health, and the need for fuel is increasing day by day in the country.

    He went on to say that they see this need and forecast it. At the same time, a development program has been prepared in order to meet the demand in the long run.

    Under the program, the modernization process of the Heydar Aliyev Oil Refinery, the cost of which is estimated at $1.8 billion, is expected to finish in 2021.

    The processing capacity will increase from 6 million to 7.5 million tons of oil per year. Moreover, the Oil Refinery will produce 2.4 million tons of gasoline and 2.6 million tons of diesel fuel.

    Mammadov added that in line with the SOCAR program, the quality of gasoline will grow from Euro-2 to Euro-5, the quality of diesel from Euro-4 to Euro-5, and if necessary, even to Euro-6.

    SOCAR is a wholly state-owned national oil company headquartered in Baku, Azerbaijan. The company produces oil and natural gas from onshore and offshore fields in the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea.

    The company includes such production associations as Azneft (the enterprises producing oil and gas onshore and offshore), Azerikimya (the chemical enterprises) and Azerigas (distributor of gas produced in the country), as well as oil and gas processing plants, service companies, and the facilities involved in geophysical and drilling operations.