Prime Minister Vladimir Putin toured the production facility and learned how an AVT-11 crude oil distillation unit works.

The Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery is part of the Samara group of oil refineries bought by Rosneft in May 2007. It opened in 1951 and was the first refinery in the country to produce fuel for jet engines and oils for launch vehicles used in spaceflights and passenger cars. Today, the plant has 27 processing units and produces fuel for all kinds of vehicles, including petrol compliant with the Euro 3 emission standard and diesel fuel compliant with the Euro 3 and Euro 4 standards. The plant processes 8 million metric tonnes of oil a year.

Eduard Khudainatov, head of Rosneft, told the prime minister about the AVT-11 crude oil distillation unit and future plans for the Novokuibyshevsk oil refinery. Investments totalling 25.9 billion roubles will be made in the plant by 2014. In addition, Mr Khudainatov told the prime minister about Rosneft's strategy to improve crude oil refining and petrochemistry.