Azat Bikmurzin: “We received 10 tranches from Deutsche Bank”

Revenue from sales has increased by 6,6%

Mr Bikmurzin, how do you assess the work of the enterprise this year?

We finished the first 4 months of 2019 with fairly good economic performance, all production facilities worked at full capacity. The company processed more than 1 million tonnes of critical raw materials, produced 241,000 tonnes of plastics and 237,000 tonnes of rubbers. Sales revenue reached 60,6 billion rubles, which is by 6,6% more than in the same period last year. The share of exports in the company's revenue remains at the level slightly over 50%.

The company met its obligations to the budget over this period in full and paid taxes and payments to all levels of the budget of 5,3 billion rubles.

The company continues to develop steadily. Over 4 months, Nizhnekamskneftekhim PJSC completed the works on major construction works at more than 8 billion rubles.

All projects that are implemented within the framework of the strategic programme are carried out according to the schedule. Accordingly, the work of the enterprise can be estimated at a solid B.

We are very concerned about the accident that occurred in April. It is important for us to understand all the reasons for what happened, to have a full objective picture and to do everything to prevent this from happening in the future.

What measures have been taken at the enterprise after the accident?

Now the enterprise is conducting extraordinary check of workers on knowledge of technological instructions and regulations, including on the organization and carrying out stopping and starting operations of the equipment. It is important for us to assess not only the level of knowledge of safety rules but namely their awareness. Additional certification is taking place with one hundred per cent coverage of the engineering and technical staff of the company on knowledge of industrial safety, requirements of federal regulations and rules on safe gas-hazardous, fire and repair works, factory-wide instructions. The most stringent measures are being taken to strengthen industrial safety, discipline and accident prevention. The control over the involvement of contractors will be strengthened — that is, it is a number of activities, which is written in a separate programme.

As for assistance to the injured employees of the contractors, the company has done everything possible for their recovery. From the first minutes, the best doctors of the Republic of Tatarstan and Russia provided the most qualified assistance. Comprehensive support was provided to relatives, issues of individual nature were resolved. There work authorized persons, who are always available for communication, for operational work on appeals from the first day of the accident. We have allocated funds to provide hospitals with the necessary medicines and equipment. In addition, funds have been transferred to the families of the victims — up to 1 million rubles, depending on the severity of the damage to health. They will also receive payments — up to 2 million rubles — from the insurance company, where, in accordance with the Federal law, Nizhnekamskneftekhim insured civil liability in the operation of production facilities. Funds will also be allocated for assistance in further rehabilitation treatment, including sanatorium treatment.

The company's services have prepared for the victims and their families information leaflets about the rights in case of an accident at work. They report on the procedure and terms of insurance payments for temporary disability, one-time and monthly insurance payments, compensation for additional costs associated with medical, social and professional rehabilitation, payments under compulsory insurance contracts.

Nizhnekamskneftekhim continues to implement ambitious projects

The enterprise is reconstructing biological treatment facilities. How's the work going?

We are almost at the finish line: we are planning to start test running of the equipment in June, to launch separate units and by the end of summer to debug the mode of operation of all newly introduced facilities. All the equipment is ready, now pre-commissioning works are taking place.

The biological treatment plant (BOS) has renewed the outdated facilities of mechanical treatment of chemically contaminated wastewater — sand traps, built the manifold switching camera, included additional stages of purification in the process flow diagram in the form of a pool to collect the trap product and the wastewater preaeration unit. Also as part of the second stage, the BOS laboratory has been repaired and equipped with the latest laboratory equipment.

We expect to launch the BOS until the end of summer. All the equipment is working, now we need to adjust the gas cleaning system. The contractor’s specialists are carrying out the start-up and commissioning works of the biofilters, after which their testing and running start. A nutrient mass for biofilters is prepared — these are special bacteria that will be populated in biofilters to absorb hydrocarbon-containing substances. As a result, unpleasant odours will not be felt. The whole cleaning system will be completely pressure tight.

How is the work on the implementation of the ethylene complex project going?

Everything is going according to the schedule, we received ten tranches from Deutsche Bank. In the near future, we intend to finally accept the project documentation, in parallel, we are engaged in the supply of equipment and preparing for the selection of the construction contractor. At the end of the summer, we plan to determine the contractor and go to the construction site. It is determined, it is necessary to go and start the preparatory work. I think that in September we will start the construction.

When does the construction of your own power plant start?

Preliminary works are being conducted, the construction town is almost ready. We plan to get a permit soon and start building the power plant right away.