Technological parameters of shale oil plant VKG Petroter III exceed expectations

Viru Keemia Grupp newest shale oil plant Petroter III that began working in last September and with a week reached its full capacity, has produced 136,000 tonnes of shale oil within less than a year. Such performance was achieved thanks to the high efficiency of operation and work certainty, which allowed to reduce the number of planned short-term stop service to three times per year. 

Ahti Asmann, CEO of Viru Keemia Grupp: “The Paris Agreement on the climate as well as Estonian program of energy sector development both provide that production of energy will switch from direct burning of oil shale to the joint manufacture of oil, electricity and heat. Using the cost-effective Petroter technology, we contribute to the achievement of the objectives set by the Paris Agreement, as carbon dioxide emissions per unit of energy that are produced as the result of co-production of oil, energy and heat are 80% less than the direct burning of oil shale. 

We successfully use Petroter technology since 2010, demonstrating the high efficiency from the point of view of ecology and investments. Today, the energy efficiency of all three plants Petroter exceeds 81%, and their working capacity permanently exceeds 100% of nominal designed capacity, but we see opportunities for further increase of the figure”. 

Shale oil plant working on Petroter technology processes annually about 1 million tonnes of oil shale from which by-products – electricity and thermal energy to heat the surrounding towns – are also obtained. Construction of the plant Petroter III began in October 2013, in September 2015 the plant was put into operation. Petroter III project cost is 84 million euros. 

VKG is the second largest producer of shale oil in the world. During 2015, VKG oil shale plants processed more than 3.5 million tonnes of oil shale, producing 506,000 tonnes of shale oil, which is 56% of the total volume of oil produced in Estonia. The annual contribution of the Group to the state budget is about 35 million euros; one third of this sum goes for payment of various natural resources charges. VKG employs more than 1,800 people in Viru Country.

Additional information:
Irina Bojenko
VKG Public Relations Manager
Phone: +372 334 2702
GSM +372 523 2700
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