''We’ve talked with all swindlers in Russia. Real wolves are sitting here''
Tatneft checked out the know-how for industrial equipment cleaning and refused it
In 2017, the ''brain centre'' of Tatarstan petrochemistry Tatneftekhiminvest-holding JSC showed a net profit of 542 million rubles for the first time in 20 years. This news caused a warm reaction of the Tatarstan President. ''What Shafagat Takhautdinov talked about has finally come true,'' he smiled and looked at Rafinat Yarullin squinting. Meanwhile, the very gas and petrochemical complex of Tatarstan, which the holding rules, showed just 3% growth. Realnoe Vremya tells how much the smart state holding, which doesn't produce certain products, could earn from innovations.
Rafinat Yarullin's White Book
Tatneftekhiminvest-holding JSC Director General Rafinat Yarullin's report, which was presented at the annual meeting of shareholders of the company on 22 May, was completely different from traditional reports of directors of big companies. First of all, it was completely free of numbers. All possible marketing descriptions of the latest tendencies in world markets substituted them – it's what Tatneftekhiminvest-holding's experts follow, in fact, and then communicate them to Tatarstan vertically integrated companies to correct their business plans or look for partners for them to implement prospective know-hows. Last year, Rafinat Yarullin said, the company continued its main work on the implementation of new scientific technologies while producing petrochemical products.
He called the end of the work on White Book that collects the latest research in petrochemistry and the automotive industry one of the achievements.
''Development of electric, gas engine transport and use of hydrogen fuel, which will substitute the traditional fuel, are one of the trends.'' Switching to the topic of implementation of innovations, he said the holding supported Kazan National Research Technological University to get new materials for car components as an intensification of developments. The work on the development of medical prebiotics continued. New gasoline additives, solutions to get oil were created. A biological laboratory was created together with Kinematika scientific and research company. Rafinat Yarullin delicately omitted how much Tatneftekhiminvest-holding could earn from the implementation of scientific developments and participation in innovative companies. However, for some reason, it seems it's not acceptable to talk about it. He didn't comment on this topic for journalists later.
Holding takes on roads
Despite the petrochemical specialisation, Tatneftekhiminvest-holding seriously took on Tatarstan roads or, more precisely, development of technologies to build roads, which will enable to use roads without repair for not usual one or two years but with a longer life cycle. According to Rafinat Yarullin, several types of polymer bituminous binders were first produced in 2017. After tests, they were recommended for industrial production. ''Now the issues of creation of bitumen production and centralised laboratory to test road materials are discussed. The experience of Gazprom Scientific & Research Institute of Natural Gases and Gas Technologies and Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State Technical University in sulphur extended asphalt application was studied. It was made a decision to lay the bitumen with the stabilising additive in the test a stone mastic asphalt section,'' he reported. Searches for a reliable technology brought him to Orenburg where minerals started to be promoted.
Back to his main duty, Rafinat Yarullin told about the end of a series of big investments projects in petrochemistry. Naphtha isomerisation and hydrotreating units were built at TANECO Oil Refinery. Capacities of SR 3 plant were augmented, a formaldehyde plant was put into operation at Nizhnekamskneftekhim. The production of new flexible packaging materials began at Danaflex and nanocomposite coverings at TAT-Advenir. TAIF-NK finished the reconstruction of the shop of the local wastewater treatment facility. It's planned to launch heavy residues hydroconversion unit with a capacity of 50,000 tonnes of goudron at TANECO in 2019.
Pipe producers' ''Great Plague''
After this, Rafinat Yarullin raised the problem of access of refiners. ''In 2017, the production of polymer pipes, windows, containers and packaging, plastics for construction closed in Tatarstan in 2017,'' he said. The reason is the transition of all feedstock purchases to electronic trade platform for SMB on a general basis, without a privilege for SMB, what it wasn't ready for. ''High costs, lack of financing and complicated access to outlets restrict the development of chemical conversion. Additional support measures for small and medium-sized business are needed,'' Rafinat Yarullin defended.
After his report, the shareholder confirmed the distribution of Tatneftekhiminvest-holding's net profit at 542 million rubles. It was decided to send 30% or 162 million rubles to pay dividends, the rest – 378 million rubles – for development.
''It's good news (about the net profit),'' the Tatarstan president reacted to the offer of the company's chief accountant. ''For the first time! As far as I remember, Mr Takhautdinov had been talking about it for 20 years. It has happened, as Lenin said. What Takhautdinov had been talking about has happened!'' the Tatarstan president teased. The board of directors of the holding was re-elected in the same composition, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov became its chairman again. By the way, Tatneftekhiminvest-holding remains one of the six Tatarstan companies where the head of the republic remains the board chairman.
95%? It's impossible. A woman is either pregnant or not.
Tatneft Director General Nail Maganov also joined the ironic mood when he had to evaluate the industrial equipment cleansing technology made by Angara-service. Director General Stanislav Betser represented it. His presentation with posh name ''Equipment Cleansing without Compromises'' was beaten. ELOU-AVT industrial unit was cleaned according to this technology as a test last summer.
''Goudron was a hot side, desalted oil was a cold one. As a result, 95% of the equipment was cleaned,'' said Betser.
''We had it, but we didn't get 100% cleaned,'' TANECO Director General Alyokhin reported.
''But you got 95%,'' the know-how's author disagreed.
''But we didn't get the installed parameters. 95% is impossible. A woman is either pregnant or not,'' Tatneft Director General Nail Maganov softly criticised. According to him, the company had to dismantle heat exchangers of TANECO's unit and clean them traditionally.
''Don't get excited!'' Maganov concluded. Rafinat Yarullin said his word instead of confused Betser. He repeated that 95% was cleaned, and only 5% left. Nevertheless, Tatneft PJSC didn't accept the development offered by the holding.
And Rustam Minnikhanov confessed to another guest before this speech. ''We've gained such experience for several years, we've worked with many people. We've talked with all swindlers in Russia. Real wolves are sitting here,'' he warned AIMA project director Ibragim Paskachev. But he talked about the problem of foreign equipment purchase to construct oil refineries with him. But other developers took his words to heart.