Gazprom Neft demonstrates bitumen production and transportation technologies to Russia’s prime minster Dmitry Medvedev

Gazprom Neft has used this year’s international “Roads 2019” exhibition to demonstrate integrated and comprehensive solutions in using modern bitumen materials in roadbuilding and maintenance, with Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, and Minister of Transport Evgeny Dietrich being given insights into solutions in developing, producing and transporting bitumens and binders unique to the domestic industry.

An innovative bitumen-based protective and restorative component for increasing road coverings’ quality and durability (the “ZVS” protective binder) has been developed at Gazprom Neft’s Science and Technology Centre. Penetrating into cracks in the road coating it binds the asphalt components together, forming a protective layer on the road surface, restoring its operational characteristics and protecting against harmful impacts. The ZVS binder is applied using mobile mechanical equipment 20-times more productive than traditional roadbuilding techniques. This technology has been successfully tested on highways in St Petersburg and the Leningrad and Omsk Oblasts, and is ready for widespread usage on Russian roads.

Gazprom Neft currently produces more than 189 branded bitumens and bitumen derivatives. Transportation of finished products is undertaken using, among other means, universal one-tonne containers — Clovertainers. This technology, developed by Gazpromneft Bitumen Materials, allows the finished products to be delivered to Russia’s regions, all year round. The Clovertainer’s cuboid shape ensures optimal space utilisation in delivering bitumens by road, rail and sea, as well as facilitating long-term storage: the special packaging guaranteeing that initial product quality is maintained throughout the year.

“Implementing the national ‘Safe and High-quality Roads’ project is now a priority. Thanks to finished-product packaging technologies like these, even the remote regions of the Russian Far East will be supplied with high-quality bitumen materials for road construction.”

Yevgeny Dietrich Minister of Transport of the Russian Federation

“Close cooperation with industry enterprises means we can develop effective binders and introduce new technologies in road building and maintenance, as well as providing customers anywhere in Russia with bitumen and modified binders without having to localise production. This approach — of engagement with customers — is transforming the domestic bitumen materials market, which has always, hitherto, been focussed on seasonal production and delivery, evening out demand throughout the calendar year and making it possible for roadbuilding companies’ to optimise their costs in bitumen procurement and storage.”

Dmitry Orlov CEO, Gazpromneft Bitumen Materials