| TOPIC OF THE ISSUE |
 Nurtas Shmanov: We consistently modernize and develop our pipeline system
Consistent operation of Kazakhstan pipeline monopoly KazTransOil is important for a number of partners in Kazakhstan and abroad. OILMARKET magazine raised the issues of the company development and operation in the interview with its general director Nurtas Shmanov |
| TOPIC OF THE ISSUE |
 The stability factor
JSC KazTransOil’s operations confirm the company is one of the most important elements in the socio-economic stability of the region. |
| PERSON OF THE ISSUE |
 Yakov Polunkin takes charge at Linos
On 1 September 2008, Yakov Polunkin replaced Aleksandr Ivanov as general director of the 320,000 b/d Linos refinery (TNK-BP; Luhansk, Ukraine).
Mr Polunkin was born in Moscow. In 1997 he graduated from the renowned Gubkin oil and gas university with a degree as an engineer-technician. He is the author of 23 scientific articles and inventions. |
| PHOTO OF THE ISSUE |
 The Great Depression of 2008
The world's financial system has endured crisis after crisis over the past 20 years, each one greeted in newspapers with ominous headlines predicting a crash as big as the Great Depression of the 1930s. A huge collapse of the US economy would certainly spark a tremendous crisis in the world economy.
Former US Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan called this event the kind the happens «once in a hundred years». |
| TRANSPORTATION |
 Viktor Kushnirchuk: We see positive dynamics in transit
The Ukrainian economy is in ever more need of imports of crude, oil products and LPG. Its dependence on supplies from Russia, Central Asia, Belarus and Lithuania is growing. The role of rail deliveries is also climbing. Oilmarket met head of the main commercial department of Ukrzaliznytsya — Ukrainian Railways — Viktor Grigoriyevich Kushnirchuk. |
| REFINING |
 Modernization during corporate crisis
While the parties' dispute has resulted in international arbitration, Ukrtatnafta's 240,000 b/d Kremenchug refinery approaches international standards of production |
| REFINING |
 LINIK to boost hydrogen production
Specialists at Ukraine's 320,000 b/d LINIK refinery, part of TNK-BP, have made a wary yet optimistic forecast that upon completion of scheduled maintenance in Sept.-Oct. this year, refinery's technological scheme will be completed with the updated hydrogen generating facility. This new short-cycle adsorption facility will allow production of hydrogen with purification efficiency as high as 99,4%. |
| NATURAL GAS |
 Gas supplies for old man Sashka's home
A few dirty-wigged geese were messing around on the road, all fuzzy with a warm summer rain. Mosquito buzz over the dense weed resembled the sound one might hear near some high-voltage transformer. A red-haired wench sluggishly passed by in a peasant cart horsed by a just as red-haired mare. Only the two welders on Rabochaya (Workers') street in Zubrilovka village were disturbing the quiet life of this kingdom of sleep busily checking seams on gas pipes. One of the aborigines, an old man named Sashka (from Alexander), volunteered to help the welders standing on the ladder and carefully painting a section of the pipeline passing over the road. Sashka's household got now connected to gas. |
| COMPANIES |
 Peace at TNK-BP
The joint venture's shareholders resolve their conflict
It appears the co-owners of TNK-BP have finally reached an agreement on the principles on which they will manage the company. The conflict between the shareholders in the Anglo-Russian company lasted over six months and was accompanied by criminal cases, search and seizure in offices, complaints from the Federal Migration Service and the recall of foreign employees. |
| TECHNOLOGY |
 «Dry dock» for associated petroleum gas
The project of «associated petroleum gas dehumidifier with SONG pumping station» has been developed jointly by AlyansEkspoKom Ltd. (Penza, Russia) and Kompressorenergogas Ltd. (Moscow). |
| TECHNOLOGY |
 The Omsk refinery
Russia's leader in refining depth
Gazpromneft-ONPZ is the leader in deep refining (light product production of 73%) and in producing high-octane gasoline blends (the share of high-octane gasoline blends is 74%). |
| TECHNOLOGY |
 The new gas pipeline: Dzhubga-Lazarevskoe-Sochi
Gazprom will build a new gas pipeline to Sochi. This project will provide stable supplies of gas to the resort area along the Caucasus coastline on the Black Sea and improve the environment by switching thermal power plants and boilers to work on natural gas. The pipeline would be needed in the region even if Sochi had not been chosen to host the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. |
| TECHNOLOGY |
 Izomalk makes inroads across the country
The geographic territory served by the Russian isomerisation technology Izomalk-2 continues to grow
In June 2008, the 235,000 b/d Ufa refinery began using Izomalk-2 technology. As well, SI-2 catalyst production has started for Novoil, another refinery in the Ufa group. This catalytic agent is to be delivered in mid-December 2008, while the isomerisation unit is to be installed in the reactor and launched in 2009. Earlier, Novoil used technological catalytic agents from Axens. |
