Methodological approaches for determining the carbon footprint of refinery products

UDK: 658.382.3:665.6

DOI: 10.24887/0028-2448-2026-7-144-149

Key words: carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions, climate regulation, CORSIA, oil refinery, oil refining products, life cycle assessment

Authors: V.S. Kashapova (Krasnoyarsk Branch of RN-Upstream design LLC, RF, Krasnoyarsk); N.S. Melkher (Krasnoyarsk Branch of RN-Upstream design LLC, RF, Krasnoyarsk); P.A. Sinshinov (Krasnoyarsk Branch of RN-Upstream design LLC, RF, Krasnoyarsk); А.S. Tsoy (Krasnoyarsk Branch of RN-Upstream design LLC, RF, Krasnoyarsk); S.A. Yudaev (Ryazan Refinery (RNPK) JSC, RF, Ryazan); D.V. Sukachev (Ryazan Refinery (RNPK) JSC, RF, Ryazan); D.N. Reshetnyak (Rosneft Oil Company, RF, Moscow)

In the context of the global energy transition and stricter climate regulation, accurately assessment of the carbon footprint of oil refineries is becoming not just a reporting element but a strategic necessity, directly impacting the competitiveness of their products. Oil refineries produce a wide range of petroleum products, and it's essential to find a fair way to allocate the refinery's total emissions among individual product types. This article examines key methodological approaches to determining greenhouse gas emissions at refineries, from greenhouse gas emissions inventories to comprehensive life cycle assessments of petroleum products. Existing methods for allocating products by mass, energy content, economic value, and added value, their advantages, methodological limitations, and applicability depending on the assessment objectives are analyzed. The conclusion is that the energy content allocation method is preferable in terms of physical validity, data comparability, and compliance with international requirements, including CORSIA standards. The results of this work provide a methodological basis for reliably assessing the carbon intensity of petroleum products, serve as a foundation for making management decisions regarding the company's low-carbon development, enable an assessment of the carbon footprint of one of Rosneft's Oil Company refined petroleum products, and enable the company to offer end consumers products with a proven low carbon footprint.

References

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