Russia's Astrakhan gas processing plant shuts down again due to drone attack
Photo: Astrakhan gas processing plant (Russian media)
The Astrakhan gas processing plant has halted production for the second time this year due to an attack by a strike drone, Reuters reports.
According to three sources, the fire occurred on September 22, engulfing a condensate production facility with a capacity of 3 million tons per year. It produces gasoline and diesel fuel.
Astrakhan Region Governor Igor Babushkin said on Telegram that drones had targeted an industrial enterprise, but did not name the enterprise. According to him, 13 Ukrainian drones were destroyed in the region, and local fires occurred.
The plant, located near the Caspian Sea, about 1,675 km from the Ukrainian border, may resume production only in a few weeks or even months.
The St. Petersburg Commodity Exchange suspended the sale of wholesale fuel from the Astrakhan plant on Monday.
Gazprom's Astrakhan gas processing plant is one of the world's largest gas chemical complexes.
The first phase of the plant was commissioned in 1985. The next two phases of the plant were commissioned in 1986 and 1997, respectively.
The plant employs 5,600 people. It produces automotive gasoline, diesel fuel, technical sulfur, and other products.
In 2024, the plant processed 1.8 million tons of stable condensate, producing 800,000 tons of gasoline, 600,000 tons of diesel, and 300,000 tons of fuel oil.
In early February 2025, the plant was attacked by strike drones, resulting in a decrease in fuel production.
According to industry sources, the damaged facility resumed operations at the end of August.
Due to regular drone strikes, diesel exports from Russia have fallen to a five-year low, the lowest level since 2020.
