OJSC Odessa Port Plant is one of the largest Ukrainian chemical enterprises for the production of urea and ammonia. OPP also transports products of other companies by water and rail.
Historical reference
The construction of the Odessa port plant (OPZ) near the Grigoryevsky estuary began in 1974. After 4 years, the company gave its first products - liquid nitrogen. Soon, the ammonia unit No. 1 started working. At the same time, a transport and transshipment section developed.
In 1979, the main facilities were introduced in stages. Chemical products began to flow through the 2417-kilometer ammonia pipeline Tolyatti-Odessa for shipment to other regions of the USSR and abroad. In the 80s, the Odessa Port Plant launched the production of dry ice, urea, liquid carbon dioxide. The beginning of the 90s was marked by the introduction of electronic control systems, microprocessor technology, communication systems. In 1999, ammonia production was expanded. In 2002-2004 modernized the production site of urea.
Company Profile
Odessa Port Plant specializes in the synthesis of urea, ammonia (23% and 18% of the total Ukrainian production, respectively). An auxiliary function of the plant is the transshipment of substances from other manufacturers. Reloading services provide an additional source of income (about 5% of total income). Besides ammonia and urea? SCF produces liquid nitrogen, carbon dioxide, liquid oxygen.
Ammonia production
Odessa Port Plant has two units with an initial capacity of 450,000 tons of products each each. The process was developed by Kellogg and executed by the French company Creusot-Loire. The feedstock is natural gas. After the reconstruction, productivity increased to 1,160,000 tons (total).
Urea Production
It is carried out on the basis of two units with a design capacity of 660,000 tons annually (330,000 tons each). The units were commissioned in 1984 and 1985. The technological process was developed by Stamicarbon, the project was carried out by the Czech company HEPOS. The raw materials are gaseous carbon dioxide and liquid ammonia. As a result of reconstruction and modernization, the maximum actual capacity is 942,000 tons per year.
Transshipment
The design capacity for ammonia transshipment is 4,000,000 tons annually, while the volume of the storages reaches 120,000 tons. The maximum allowable one-time storage of ammonia in storages is 81,000 tons. Ammonia is delivered mainly by rail or via the ammonia pipeline.
The projected urea transshipment capacity is 3,600,000 tons annually. The total storage capacity is 80,000 tons. Methanol transshipment reaches 1,000,000 tons. The storage capacity is 36,000 tons. Methanol is delivered via railways.
Export
Due to its location and connection with the infrastructure for the transportation of chemical components, Odessa Port Plant is export-oriented. About 90% of manufactured products are delivered abroad. The main export directions: Turkey, countries of Africa, Latin America, Europe and the USA.
Production technology
The main raw material for nitrogen enterprises is natural gas. As a result of gas processing, JSC OPZ produces ammonia. Part of it is sent to ammonia storage and then sold. Another part of the ammonia produced goes to the production of urea. Carbon dioxide (CO2), which is obtained as a by-product in the production of ammonia, is also used to produce urea.
The main potential sources of natural gas supplies to the SCF are:
- natural gas produced in Ukraine;
- Russian natural gas;
- gas that comes from Europe according to the reverse scheme.
In 2014, in addition to natural gas supplied by the state company NAK Naftogaz Ukrainy, JSC OPZ imported part of the gas from Hungary and Slovakia according to the reverse scheme. In 2014, part of the raw materials was supplied to the plant by private Ukrainian companies. To fully utilize its capacities, production requires about 1.3 billion m 3 of gas annually.
Odessa port factory: the price of privatization
For many years, OPZ remained a joint stock company, 99.6% of the shares of which were controlled by the state. The chemistry giant was a tidbit for large financial groups. In 2009, attempts were made to privatize it under President Yushchenko, but they were frustrated under the pretext of conspiracy of applicants and an understatement of the real value of the enterprise.
The second privatization attempt was planned for December 14, 2016. Back in July 2014, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine announced its intention to put up an OPZ for auction along with other 164 objects. The State Property Fund expected to sell the shares of the plant for 5.16 billion hryvnia. However, due to allegedly revealed corruption schemes, the process was suspended. Now the anti-corruption bureau is conducting an investigation. Due to privatization confusion, production was temporarily suspended and resumed in the spring of 2017. The issue of bankruptcy is being considered.