Since 2009, more than 800 million euros have been invested in the modernization of the Pancevo Oil Refinery, and it is now one of the most modern in the region, said Andrej Tucnin, NIS’s first deputy general director for refining and trade.
In an interview with the weekly Pancevac, Tucnin said that the recent start of the deep processing plant, in which over 300 million euros have been invested, is important not only for Serbia, but for the entire region, and that the project brings significant business and environmental uses.
“The configuration of the refinery must be such that it can have a future, and when it comes to the complex in Pancevo, it has it now. Therefore, the energy stability of Serbia in the future is ensured by this modernization, and that is also very important for the future of the citizens of this country. When you do not have a refinery, then you directly depend on others because you have to import derivatives, which again has a great impact on the fiscal balance of one country. “When you have processing in your country, it is good for independence, for the economic balance, for taxes, for employees,” Tucnin said.
According to him, after the start of the new plant, the Pancevo Oil Refinery will receive larger quantities of the highest quality fuels, as well as a new product – petroleum coke, which has been imported to Serbia so far. He added that NIS is now considering the possibility of further expanding the sales network.
“Of course, we are considering the possibility of expanding the sales network. We couldn’t do that before because of the depth of refining, but now the thing is different, because oil refining has its economic efficiency. A basket of derivatives was obtained from crude oil, and now NIS’s basket is in a better position on the market than it was before the start of deep processing,” said Tucnin.
He added that “Deep processing” also means improving environmental protection.
“Emissions of nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide have been reduced, especially sulfur, by 98 percent, and nitrogen by ten percent. Also, emissions of powdered substances were reduced by 52.8 percent and the energy efficiency of the Refinery was improved. These are key things when it comes to the environmental aspect of the beginning of the work of “Deep Processing”, said Tucnin, adding that the cessation of production of fuel oil with a high sulfur content contributes to Serbia fulfilling its obligations to the Energy Community.
Tucnin stated that NIS plans to continue the modernization of the Refinery and the realization of projects for the improvement of environmental protection, and that the modernization of the catalytic cracking plant (FCC) will follow first, Politika reports.
