Nghi Sơn refinery in Nghi Sơn Economic Zone in Thanh Hóa Province. — Photo courtesy of NSRP

Nghi Sơn Refinery and Petrochemical LLC (NSRP) announced it has completed 70 per cent of the first major maintenance (turnaround) plan as of September 18, closely following the set critical path.

So Hasegawa, NSRP’s General Director, affirmed this was a milestone marking the efforts of the staff as well as domestic and foreign contractors.

This maintenance, initiated from August 25, is carried out after the factory has officially operated for four years to clean and inspect crucial technological equipment.

More than 5,000 engineers, specialists and workers from contractor units as well as 1,000 NSRP employees have been mobilised to achieve the tight construction schedule while ensuring safety and efficient maintenance.

Regarding the export plan for the purchasing units and intermediary consumers units for petroleum products, depending on the receiving schedule of these units, NSRP will resume exporting petroleum products from the plant's reserve warehouse starting from September 20. Over 9,000 cubic meters of gasoline and 75,000 cubic meters of diesel are currently being stored at the factory.

It is anticipated that the plant's technical workshops will be graduallyrestarted from October 7 to October 9. After this turnaround, NSRP will resume normal operations and continue supplying essential petroleum products to the Việt Nam market.”

NSRP is a joint venture among the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (Petrovietnam), Kuwait Petroleum Europe, Idemistu Kosan and Mitsui Chemicals. It is located in Nghi Sơn Economic Zone in Thanh Hóa Province. The refinery has a production capacity of 200,000 barrels of crude oi per day (equivalent to 10 million tonnes per year). — VNS