Caspian Energy (CE): Mr. Pashayev, GPP holds a leading position in the gas processing industry of Azerbaijan. How do you evaluate the development path that the facility has been through?
Aqshin Pashayev, Director, SOCAR Gas Processing Plant: Gas Processing Plant (GPP), one of the structural units of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), has been continuously operating for already 53 years.
1.83 bcm of crude gas was supplied to the Gas Processing Plant (GPP) of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan for processing within the first half of this year. The volume of dry gas delivered after processing totaled 1.80 bcm. Since the beginning of the year, the losses while processing every 1000 cubic meters of dry gas have totaled 0.7 cubic meters, which is 6 times below the plan. The volume of fuel gas spent on processing of 1000 cubic meters of natural gas totaled 10.1 cubic meters which is below the plan and actual indicators compared to the same period of the past year.
Within the first half of the year, 24,051.7 tonnes of unstable gasoline were produced out of the total amount of feed delivered to the GPP for processing. 23,935.3 tonnes of unstable gasoline was delivered in the accounting period in order to produce liquid products. The volume of commercial butane and gasoline produced at GPP totaled 9,412.3tonnes and 14,448.4 tonnes respectively.
A total 9391.6 tonnes of commercial butane was shipped within the framework of trade agreements reached between GPP and Azneft PU for sale of liquid gas products in the domestic market.
78.7% of production capacity of natural gas processing units was utilized within the first 6 months of 2014. As the result of storage of finished products in the tanks, the non-reimbursable losses totaled 496 tonnes during the period under review which is 1,293.6 tonnes below the quota.
CE: What importance does the plant attach to social and environmental issues?
Aqshin Pashayev: Over the years GPP attached serious importance to improvement of working conditions, observance of safety regulations, accident-free and safe operation of the equipment, setting of safety techniques in compliance with the “single system” requirements, modernization of production sites, buildings and working places in accordance with world standards. All necessary measures are taken with the purpose to prevent accidents, injuries at work, improving labor conditions, providing special clothes and milk products for those who work at hazardous sites.
Overhaul and running maintenance is regularly carried out on process units, equipment and workrooms in order to improve their technical conditions.
Environmental protection issues are under daily control. For this purpose, steel structures, exposed to corrosion, wastes of old structures and other materials are stockpiled in special sites from where they are shipped as recycled materials.
All necessary measures are taken for reducing emission of hydrocarbon gases into the atmosphere from process furnaces, boiler flues, burning torches, ventilation units, process lines, safety valves, etc. Sources of pollution are neutralized in the area of the plant; measures are taken for their proper cleaning and rehabilitation. All production wastes are assorted and placed at special enclosed sites. This is done for preventing environmental pollution by wastes that arise during production process at the plant area. Assorted wastes are further delivered to the wastes center of the SOCAR ecology department.
As of 01.07.2014, the Plant employs 699 employees. Total salary of employees makes 3.4 mln AZN. Average monthly salary totals 730AZN.
Issues concerning improvement of social welfare of employees as well as rational spending of leisure time are also in the center of attention of GPP. Instead of daily meals, employees were given 200.6 thousand AZN. Total sum of the material aid totaled 43.8 thousand AZN during the period under review.
