Unipetrol refinery returns to full operation

The total maintenance and modernisation costs exceeded one billion crowns of which CZK 400 million were spent on new investment projects. Unipetrol performs regular turnarounds of its refineries according to the legislative requirements in roughly five-year cycles. The previous turnaround of the Kralupy Refinery took place in 2013.

Jaroslav Hacko, Production Manager of the Unipetrol Group’s Kralupy nad Vltavou Refinery, said:

"The shutdown is a planned halting of production, the primary reason being the regular maintenance of all technologies in the area according to legislative and technical and technological requirements. It is also an opportunity to implement investment projects and technological changes that we would otherwise have to install while operating or during a partial downtime, which could have an impact on the smoothness and economic efficiency of the operation.”

The turnaround at the Kralupy Refinery was the largest in its history. Compared to the past, it differed in the volume of service and investment work.

Hacko added:

"In addition to the detailed inspection and maintenance of all facilities, we have modernised the technologies in the main production units. In advance, we have thereby met the legislative requirements of the European Union and the Czech Republic to implement the so-called Best Available Techniques (BAT) that will come into force in 2020. The restart of the production units was accompanied by temporary sound and lights effects. We apologise to all residents of the surrounding towns and villages for these inconveniences.”

Unipetrol is the only crude oil processor in the Czech Republic, an important producer of fuels, plastics and fertilisers, and the owner of the Benzina petrol station network, which, with its 402 stations, is the largest network in the Czech Republic.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/petrochemicals/30052018/unipetrol-refinery-returns-to-full-operation/