Production has reached the designed capacity of Eesti Energia’s new Enefit 280-2 oil plant in Auvere during commissioning, according to Postimees Majandus. The plant has produced 15,000 tonnes of shale oil since making its first batch in April.
The facility is expected to reach stable full-capacity operations during the autumn. At that level, it is expected to produce about 250,000 tonnes of shale oil a year, mainly for export as a component in marine fuel.
Production moves into the stabilisation phase
Eesti Energia opened the plant on 27 August through its Enefit Industry subsidiary. Lauri Karp, chairman of the Enefit Industry management board, said the commissioning had demonstrated that the plant could operate at its planned production capacity.
“The start-up of the Enefit 280-2 oil plant has reached an important milestone: we have proven the plant’s ability to operate at its designed production capacity. We will now focus on achieving stable and reliable production during the autumn,” Karp said.
The plant produces low-sulphur shale oil for the international market. Enefit Industry says the oil is used as a component in marine fuels. The company also produces high-calorific retort gas, which is used for energy production at the site.
Enefit 280-2 uses the Enefit 280 technology, allowing the plant to process all of the mined oil shale, including fine-grained material. The integrated process is designed to use the energy contained in the shale more efficiently.
€380M investment adds to Auvere capacity
The new plant complements the two oil plants already operating in Auvere. With Enefit 280-2 in operation, Enefit Industry expects to produce a total of 100,000 tonnes of shale oil by the end of this year. The combined annual maximum production capacity of its three plants is expected to reach 700,000 tonnes.
The investment decision for Enefit 280-2 was made in spring 2020, and construction began in 2021. The project has cost more than €380M and will employ about 150 people.
Karp said local liquid-fuel production provides a source of supply in both normal and crisis conditions. He added that the company’s shale oil is exported as a marine-fuel component and that the next focus after the investment programme would be improving competitiveness in international markets.
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