Rosneft pilots Fischer-Tropsch GTL catalysts from Angarsk refining project

The first pilot batches of Fischer Tropsch synthesis catalysts have been produced at the Angarsk catalyst and organic synthesis plant, officials with Rosneft said on Monday.

The Angarsk plant is the first Russian enterprise capable of producing such catalysts on a commercial scale. 

The implementation of FT synthesis catalysts production national technologies has been performed as part of an innovation development by scientists of RN-RDC corporate scientific center, according to company officials. 

The catalysts produced provide natural and oil-dissolved gas to be processed into synthetic hydrocarbons. They were tested in laboratories..

Possessing commercial technologies with FT synthesis catalysts production should enable Rosneft to finish the project on creating the first GTL pilot plant equipment in Russia, which is scheduled to put into operation at the Novokuybyshevsky plant site in 2018. 

The results of the test performed for GTL PPE will form a base for construction of plant equipment aimed at natural oil-dissolved gas processing into synthetic oil and components of synthetic fuels, including aviation fuel.

The successful implementation of GTL technology in Rosneft is an important step toward the advancement of gas processing technologies, as well as resource base expansion of oil processing and petrochemical enterprises, according to company officials.