Putin will look at Ammonia from afar, and Minnikhanov – at close range
The integrated complex for producing ammonia, methanol and granulated carbamide Ammonia at a cost of $1.7 billion is preparing for the opening. On 12 February, during the visit to Naberezhnye Chelny of President of Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, he will give a start to the launch of the plant on live video, and on 24-25 February, head of the Republic Rustam Minnikhanov personally will visit the plant.
In front of Putin
Ammonia is the first for the last 30 years built in Russia plant for production of mineral fertilizers. It would not have been, if President failed to convince President Vladimir Putin, after that Vnesheconombank (VEB) approved a financing scheme with the participation of Japanese banks. That is why Ammonia is called 'Putin's' project, as without President of Russia the opening would not have been.
On 8 February, Chairman of the Board of Directors of JSC Ammonia Rinat Khanbikov told the correspondent of Realnoe Vremya that the opening of the plant is on 12 February during the visit of President Vladimir Putin to Naberezhnye Chelny. 'I'll be in this day in Chelny,' – he said, adding that the ceremony will be on video conference with Mendeleevsk. Later, on 24-25 February, personally the President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov will attend the opening ceremony, according to the sources from the industry.
The project was funded through the sources of VEB. It was initially supposed that VEB will invest in the project $870 million, of which $650 million will be provided by Japanese banks, but in the end, the final amount rose to $ 1.7 billion. Construction of Ammonia began after the signing at the summit in Yokohama an agreement with the international consortium of Japanese companies Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), and a contract with Sojitsu Corporation and Chinese national chemical corporation China National Chemical Engineering Group (CNCEG) to design and construct the chemical complex on production of ammonia, methanol and granulated carbamide. MHI, that heads the consortium, was responsible for design of the project and equipment supply, Sojitsu was to coordinate the participants of the project, and CNCEG was responsible for the construction. The licensor of the combined installation with capacity of 2.05 thousand tonnes of ammonia per day, and 688 tonnes of methanol is Haldor Topsoe.
Report on conformity of Ammonia was obtained on the first try
'The feature of such complex gas-chemical projects is a long implementation period. So, the work on the project Ammonia, the first in Russia plant for production of fertilizers for many years, began almost ten years ago.
During these years, together with the implementation of the project Ammonia, and many other projects of Haldor Topsoe, in Russia there were developing relations with many Russian organizations – design, construction, equipment manufacturers. In many areas, there is a good cooperation,' comments to Realnoe Vremya Maksim Valkovsky, head of the Department of gas chemistry and petrochemistry of PLC Haldor Topsoe.
Foreign contractors fully met the deadline: the plant began its production in August 2015, as stipulated in the agreement. Deputy head of Rostechnadzor Elena Radionova told Realnoe Vremya that a report on conformity for Ammonia was obtained on the first try.
'Those objects that go on a festive ribbon cutting with the obtained document, are the most desirable for us. Because usually we see the objects to celebrate first, and only then obtain all the documents. Here, the situation is different. Everyone violates, and foreign contractors are not much different from ours – maybe somewhere more experience and discipline and production efficiency. But we are catching up!' she told.