Seven workers were killed after an explosion and fire at Russia’s Amur Gas Chemical Complex
Six of those killed were Chinese nationals, while nine Chinese workers remain missing
The $10–11 billion SIBUR-Sinopec project is a major Russia-China petrochemical venture aimed largely at Asian markets
Seven workers were killed after an explosion followed by a fire at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex in Russia's Amur Region, the company said. Six of those killed were Chinese nationals and one was Russian. Nine other Chinese workers remained unaccounted for.
Russia's Emergencies Ministry said it was overseeing the response to the explosion and subsequent fire at the gas-chemical complex in Chernigovka. Emergency services continued search-and-rescue operations at the site.
Search And Rescue
Regional state media reported that 152 people received medical assistance, with 36 injured workers taken to hospitals. An Il-76 aircraft operated by Russia's Emergencies Ministry arrived in the region to evacuate the most seriously injured to federal medical centres.
Regional authorities said there was no environmental threat to the public, while Russia's consumer-safety agency was conducting continuous air-quality monitoring. No harmful-substance levels above permitted limits had been detected, according to the regional authorities.
A criminal case has been opened over alleged violations of industrial-safety requirements at a hazardous production facility, with the investigation under the supervision of Russia's Investigative Committee.
Russia-China Project
The Amur Gas Chemical Complex is a major Russia-China petrochemical project involving Russian company SIBUR and China's Sinopec.
The companies established a joint venture for the complex, with SIBUR holding 60% and Sinopec 40%. The project was designed with annual production capacity of 2.7 million tones, 2.3 million tonnes of polyethylene and 400,000 tonnes of polypropylene.
SIBUR estimated the project's cost at $10-11 billion. The complex was designed to use feedstock from Gazprom's Amur Gas Processing Plant and orient much of its output towards Asian markets, particularly China.
The deaths at the complex have therefore brought fresh attention to a major Russia-China industrial project, while authorities continue investigating the cause of the explosion and fire.
