Gazprom Neft and the Government of the Khabarovsky Krai have concluded an agreement on supplying the region with the company’s latest bitumen products, and on import substitution of lubricants, at this year’s Eastern Economy Forum, with the agreement being signed by Gazprom Neft CEO and Chairman of the Management Board, Alexander Dyukov, and Khabarovsky Krai Governor Sergey Furgal.

The parties have agreed to increase supplies of high-tech bitumen materials for use in the construction, maintenance and repair of transport infrastructure facilities throughout the Khabarovsky Krai, with joint research and development activities and pilot testing to facilitate the development of optimum bitumen formulations, specifically adapted to the climate and transport requirements of the region, included as part of the agreement.

Gazprom Neft’s partnership with the Khabarovsky Krai is also expected to include joint activities in replacing imported lubricants and service fluids, with the company providing technical support and services to businesses in the region in selecting effective lubricants matching the highest international standards.

Alexander Dyukov, CEO and Chairman of the Management Board, Gazprom Neft PJSC, commented: “The Khabarovsky Krai is one of the fastest-developing regions in the Russian Far East, with an economy dependent on diverse production industries and transportation services for strategically important cargo flows. Implementing this import substitution programme will reduce the region’s businesses’ dependence on foreign lubricants, while individually selected bitumen formulations matching the region’s specific requirements will guarantee high quality road coverings for construction and repairs.”

Gazprom Neft has a long-standing history of successful cooperation with the Khabarsky Krai, with the company supplying the region with high-tech products from two production facilities – the Gazprom Neft Omsk Refinery and the Omsk Lubricants Plant. Sales of Gazprom Neft’s bitumen products in the Khabarovsky Krai in 2018 were four times higher than in 2017, reaching 6,700 tonnes: sales of lubricants and service fluids showed a 1.5-fold increase, at 2,600 tonnes.