Video: A plastics factory in Russia, which was set to become one of the largest in the world, caught fire
A fire broke out at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex (AGCC), currently under construction in Russia’s Amur Region, following an explosion during commissioning work. According to preliminary reports, one person was killed and another 87 were injured.
Initially, the company’s press office announced the fire and reported that, to ensure safety and minimize damage, workers were shutting down equipment that was in the commissioning phase.
It later became known that the fire was caused by an explosion. The fire engulfed the auxiliary process area of the pyrolysis unit, specifically the methanol processing unit.
The fire covers an area of about 2,000 square meters. Approximately 50 people were evacuated from the complex. Footage from the scene has also appeared online, showing a large plume of smoke.
Company officials stated that residents of the surrounding areas are not in any danger.
The Amur Gas Chemical Complex is a joint venture between the Russian company Sibur and the Chinese company Sinopec. Sibur holds a 60% stake, while Sinopec holds 40%.
The project is estimated to cost approximately $11 billion. Once it reaches full capacity, the facility is expected to produce 2.7 million metric tons of polymers per year.
By comparison, a typical petrochemical complex produces about 300,000 to 1 million metric tons of polymers per year.
The main feedstocks for the AGHK were to be ethane and liquefied hydrocarbon gases, which were planned to be sourced from a neighboring Gazprom gas processing plant.
The plant was originally scheduled to begin operations in 2024, but due to equipment supply issues stemming from sanctions, the launch was postponed to 2027.
Now, a major accident during commissioning could lead to another delay in the complex’s commissioning.
The project was intended to allow Russia to significantly increase petrochemical production and, according to Russian officials, boost non-raw material exports.
An explosion during the start-up phase poses a serious challenge for such a large-scale industrial project, as the discovery of technological or design issues could lead to prolonged downtime and additional costs.
[video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://cdn-cabinet.ua.news/uploads/images/0825-1.mov"][/video]
[video width="1280" height="720" mp4="https://cdn-cabinet.ua.news/uploads/images/img-6906.mp4"][/video]
[video width="464" height="640" mp4="https://cdn-cabinet.ua.news/uploads/images/img-6897.mp4"][/video]
Russian media reported on the incident.
As a reminder, an emergency occurred at the pyrolysis unit—one of the key facilities at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex in Russia.
As a reminder, on the night of August 25, Ukrainian drones once again attacked Russia’s Krasnodar Krai, specifically the Afipsk Oil Refinery. According to local authorities, a fire broke out on the refinery’s grounds following the attack, and at least 10 private homes were damaged.
As a reminder, the Afip Oil Refinery in Russia was attacked.
