PhosAgro Volkhov

Acid Plant Database August 14, 2024

Owner	Apatit
Location	Kirovsky pr., 20 Volkhov Leningrad Region Russia
Background	Formerly Metachem (Metakhim JSC) 2012 - Became part of PhosAgro
Website	www.phosagro.com
Plant
Coordinates*	59° 54' 44" N, 32° 21' 34" E (inside building?)	59° 54' 43" N, 32° 21' 34" E
Type of Plant	Sulphur Burning	Sulphur Burning
Gas Source	Elemental Sulphur	Elemental Sulphur
Plant Capacity	240,000 MTPA	800,000 MTPA
SA/DA
Emissions
Status	Operating	Operating
Year Built	1962	2021
Technology
Contractor
Remarks	2017 - Plant Revamp
Pictures
General	The Volkhov Branch of Apatit (PhosAgro Group’s Volkhov chemical cluster) is Russia’s only producer of sodium tripolyphosphate and one of Russia’s leading producers of mineral fertilizers. The facility (formerly known as Metachem) was established in 2003 after the Volkhov aluminium smelter was split up into chemical and steelmaking plants. It joined PhosAgro Group in 2012. The branch’s favourable geography and its proximity to the St Petersburg Port enables us to ship products to any destination, including foreign markets. The site’s boasts capacities of 200 ktpa of PKS/NPK fertilizers, 240 ktpa of sulphuric acid, 100 ktpa of phosphoric acid and 105 ktpa of sodium tripolyphosphate. Volkhov branch is a Russian producer of STPP and PKS/NPKS-fertilizers located in Volkhov in Leningrad region. Volkhov branch operates one sulphuric acid production line, one phosphoric acid production line, one STPP production line and three PKS/NPKS-fertilizers production lines. The sulphuric acid production line became operational in 1962. The phosphoric acid production line was built in 1975, in 2017 it was revamped and a new converter was set into operation.
References	-
News	August 9, 2024 - Journalists from leading African media took part in an extensive tour of the production facilities and infrastructure at PhosAgro’s Volkhov production complex, including the plant’s upgraded phosphoric acid and mineral fertilizer production facilities, as well as the new SK-800 sulphuric acid plant and new energy facilities, which recycle process steam into electricity for the plant. The journalists heard presentations on PhosAgro’s activities and the significant role that the Company and the Russian mineral fertilizer industry play in ensuring global food security and supporting humanitarian projects in Africa. PhosAgro invested over RUB 34 billion to develop its Volkhov complex. Thanks to extensive upgrades and new construction, the plant has increased its annual production of mineral fertilizers to over 1 million tonnes, a more than fivefold increase since 2019, when construction of the new production facility began. The processing of phosphate rock has increased more than sixfold compared with 2019 to over 1.6 million tonnes; the production of sulphuric acid, more than fivefold to 1.1 million tonnes; and the production of phosphoric acid, more than sixfold to about 600 thousand tonnes. The plant’s location near Baltic ports, which are focused on exporting products to friendly countries, enhances the Company’s capacity to export products to Africa. April 20, 2021 - PhosAgro has launched its new production line at the Volkhov production site. The new plant, together with a power station, are being built as part of PhosAgro's strategy to 2025. The new production facility, which has a capacity of 300 000 tpy, has produced its first batch of MAP, a nitrogen-phosphorous fertilizer, which is in demand both in the Russian market and abroad. Once the construction of the entire factory is completed, the production site's annual capacity will more than quadruple to 880 000 t of fertilizer. Work is currently under way to build two more production lines. The final phase will be the launch of a water-soluble MAP shop. In addition, the sulfuric and phosphoric acid production lines are undergoing comprehensive upgrades. The construction of a power plant with a capacity of 32 MW is also under way, which will provide for 85% of the enterprise's electricity needs. The power plant will operate on process steam from sulfuric acid production. At the same time, support infrastructure for the new production facilities is being developed, including a railway junction, warehouses for raw materials (phosphate rock, sulfuric acid, ammonia and mineral fertilizers), power distribution systems and equipment and a chemical treatment station. Total investments in the project will exceed RUB28 billio March 15, 2021 - The Volkhov branch of Apatit (part of PhosAgro) commissioned an ammophos production facility with a capacity of 288.5 thousand tons per year. This was the first stage of the investment project for the development of the enterprise. The investment project estimating over 28 billion rubles (approximately $382.2 million) started in March, and the launch of the main capacities is scheduled for 2023. The first stage in the production of phosphoric acid provides for the transferring of the technology for obtaining wet-process phosphoric acid to a semi-hydrate mode and achieving production volumes of 200 thousand tons of phosphorus anhydride per year. A complex for the production of ammophos was launched in the production of mineral fertilizers. The complex consists of three objects — a liquid ammonia warehouse with a capacity of 490 tons, modernized unit No. 3 with a designed capacity of 288.5 thousand tons of ammophos per year and a finished product warehouse with a capacity of 15 thousand tons. As a part of the technical re-equipment of the sulfuric acid workshop, three new storage tanks for sulfuric acid with a total volume of 12 thousand tons were built there. The second stage of the project provides for the modernization of the mineral fertilizers production No.2 and transferring it to the production of ammophos. The phosphoric acid production will increase the output of phosphorus anhydride to 450 thousand tons per year. Due to the implementation of the project, the annual production of fertilizers will be increased to 800 thousand tons. A new technological system for the production of sulfuric acid with an annual capacity of 800 thousand tons per year will be also put into operation. Besides, objects of energy complex will be created, namely a complex for heat recovery and electricity generation with a capacity of 32 MW. As a result, by the completion of the investment project in 2023, on the site of the old plant, built in 1932, a new production complex, created with the best available technologies, will be commissioned. According to the plan, it will produce 800 thousand tons of ammophos per year. The complex will provide over 200 jobs for highly qualified specialists. The project provides for investments of over 28 billion rubles (approximately $382.2 million. Units based on the best available technologies will reach their design capacity in 2023. “Today we have witnessed the completion of the first stage of the investment project for the development of the Volkhov industrial complex. Even such external circumstances as the COVID-19 pandemic couldn’t get us off the course. All planned works are being completed on time, I’m sure that in 2023 the investment program will be fully implemented. The great importance of this project not only for PhosAgro but also for the entire industry of mineral fertilizers is underlined by the fact that it was one of the first Investment Protection Agreements,” said PhosAgro CEO Andrey Guryev.

MTPD - Metric Tonne per Day STPD - Short Ton per Day
MTPA - Metric Tonne per Annum STPA - Short Ton per Annum
SA - Single Absorption
DA - Double Absorption

* Coordinates can be used to locate plant on Google Earth


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