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Mechel Commissions Block of Coke Oven Batteries at Moscow Coke and Gas
06/19/2009 - Mechel OAO celebrates the restart of a block of coke oven batteries No. 2 with an official commissioning ceremony at its Moscow Coke and Gas Plant OAO.
Mechel OAO celebrated this week the restart of a block of coke oven batteries No. 2 with an official commissioning ceremony at its Moscow Coke and Gas Plant OAO (Moskoks).
Block No. 2 comprises three batteries with 89, 23.4-cubic-meter capacity oven chambers. After reaching its production capacity, it will produce 50 thousand tonnes of coke monthly, bringing the plant’s average monthly capacity utilization level in line with pre-crisis levels as averaged in the first eight months of 2008. The coke plant employs 1300 and has a total annual capacity of 1.3 million tonnes of 6% humidity coke.
Maintenance and capital repair works were carried out over the course of an extended hot conservation period. Upgrades included gas exhaust and intake equipment checkout, repair of water pipeline for the coke extinguishing towers No. 1 and 2, repair of the inlet collector for primary gas refrigerators, and other works.
“Mechel OAO is the only Russian company commissioning coke oven batteries after period of suspension and production volume drop,” said Mechel OAO Senior Vice President Vladimir Polin, commenting on the commissioning. “Currently, many metallurgical and chemical-recovery companies significantly decreased coke production as we saw very low demand in the last few months.
“Production volumes recovery at Mechel group’s plants became possible mainly due to our sales units’ successful performance,” continued Polin. “Their efficient work allows us to increase deliveries to the third parties on the internal Russian market as well as export deliveries. For example, in June about 30% of Moskoks production will be shipped to foreign countries.
Polin noted that increased coke production helps the company to utilize coking coal mining capacity, thus providing a reliable consumption channel. “Steady work of mining plants is very important in the current economic situation and we would like to emphasize that the company fulfills its obligations in production and social programs as well,” concluded Polin.
Mechel OAO has been working to restore production volumes at its steel segment subsidiaries’ plants, including the recent (March 2009) commissioning of Blast Furnace No. 4 at its Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant OAO following capital repair. Earlier this month, the company also restarted operation of Chelyabinsk Metallurgical Plant’s Coke Oven No. 4 after capital repair, which has a capacity of 440,000 tonnes of coke per year.
Mechel, one of Russia’s leading companies, unites producers of coal, iron ore concentrate, steel, rolled products, ferroalloys, nickel, hardware, heat, and electric power. Its business includes four segments—mining, steel, ferroalloys and power—and its products are marketed domestically and internationally.
