Tomet resumes operations after temporary shutdown

After a six-month shutdown, the Tomet plant (the city of Togliatti, Samara region) has launched the second methanol production unit.

Both Tomet’s methanol units suspended their operation in October 2020 following the order of the previous General Director of Tomet Vladimir Chabrov. On November 26, 2020, the Commercial Court of the Samara region ruled to resume the production and introduced an observation procedure at the enterprise.

However, during the commissioning works, both units accidentally collapsed. After eliminating the breakdowns, the first unit was launched quickly enough, while the second one required more serious repairs and couldn’t be returned to operation.

On March 3, 2021, the Commercial Court of the Samara region removed Vladimir Chabrov from the post of Tomet’s General Director and initiated the bankruptcy proceeding there. The bankruptcy commissioner was appointed Anatoly Selishchev, who took up his duties on March 9.

“When we came to the enterprise,” says Anatoly Selishchev, “I set the task to launch the second methanol unit and thereby increase production. Our repair team replaced the gas pipelines damaged as a result of the December accident. However, then suddenly Togliattiazot announced that they began repairs on its gas pipeline, and for this reason, Togliattiazot didn’t supply us with gas for the second unit. We could have launched a week ago.”

Natural gas is the main raw material for the production of methanol. The Tomet enterprise is located on the territory of Togliattiazot and receives all industrial raw materials from it.

“The management of Togliattiazot made advances to us and a few days ago we started launching the unit. I hope that from Sunday it will reach full capacity of 1.15 thousand tons per day. Now gas is supplied without interruption,” confirmed Anatoly Selishchev.

According to his statement, the first methanol unit is operating normally, and after the second unit reaches its designed capacity, the enterprise will produce 2.5 thousand tons of methanol per day. “The return to operation of the second unit will not only benefit the enterprise and the staff but also stabilize the situation on the market,” Anatoly Selishchev believes.

Source: NIA Sam