Prista Recycling of Bulgaria recently broke ground on its first base oil rerefinery in Ukraine, a $60 million investment, claiming it is the first such plant in Eastern Europe.
The rerefinery will be built on a 45-hectare plot in the industrial zone of Borodyanka, a small town in Kiev oblast.
The project includes a vacuum distillation unit and hydro-treatment unit with total capacity to process 80,000 metric tons of waste oil annually, according to Prista. Our company’s total green investment in this refinery is around U.S. $60 million. It also includes a 9,000-cubic meter tank farm and a truck and railroad load and unloading dock, the company said in an Oct. 17 press release.
The rerefinery will use technology licensed from India-based Sequoia Energy & Environment Pvt. Ltd., and its total output capacity is 70,000 t/y. The rerefinery will produce API Group I, Group II and II+ base oils.
Our aim is establishment of a national system for collection and utilization of used motor and industrial oils for the needs of its plant, Prista said. Ukraine recently adopted a bill for obligatory collection of used oils by lubricants producers and big consumers.
A workforce of 100 employees will operate the Prista rerefinery. The sole realization of this project gives great potential for development of economic activity between Bulgaria and Ukraine, Plamen Bobokov, president of Prista Oil Holding EAD’s board of directors, said during the opening ceremony for the rerefinery.
High ranking business and political officials from both states, such as Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Daniela Bobeva and Ukrainian Energy and Coal Industry Minister Eduard Stavitsky, attended the ceremony.
Prista Recycling is an independent company within Prista Oil Holding EAD. Based in the Danube River port city of Ruse, Bulgaria, Prista Oil is the biggest lubricants manufacturer in Bulgaria. Its main business lines are lubricants and car batteries.
The company operates lubricant, greases, automotive specialties and fluids production facilities in Bulgaria, Turkey and Hungary. It also owns a blending plant in Uzbekistan, in a joint venture with the Uzbek national oil company Uzbekneftegaz.
The company is active in 20 countries in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as in Central Asia, and also operates four base oil terminals with total capacity of 52,000 cubic meters, according to its web site.