Gazpromneft-Aero Implements Innovative Method of Aviation Fuel Microbiological Control
Gazpromneft-Aero, the aviation fuel business operator of Gazpromneft, has become the first Russian company to implement a unique microbiological quality control system for aviation fuel.
The innovative system, which complies with local and international IATA requirements, detects the presence of microorganisms* negatively affecting the operation of the fuel system and aircraft engines and is operational in 48 Gazpromneft-Aero fuel farms across Russia.
When microorganisms are detected in fuel or on fuel tanks fleet equipment cleaning of the equipment is carried out. Monitoring is carried out via express tests recommended by the Joint Inspection Group (JIG), the organisation which sets aviation fuel supply standards.
“The largest international air carriers require high quality aviation fuel as well as microbiological monitoring, when working with petroleum products suppliers. Before getting into the aircraft tanks, our fuel undergoes multi-stage control, from shipment from the refinery to 'into the wing' refuelling,” emphasized Vladimir Yegorov, Gazpromneft-Aero CEO. “The introduction of the microbiological monitoring method, which is unique for the Russian aviation fuel sector, will provide additional guarantee of high aviation fuel performance indicators.”
“Microbiological quality control of aviation fuel is of great importance for increasing the overall safety of air travel. It is especially important to implement it at ground infrastructure facilities, as it minimises the risks of microorganism contamination of oil products. Gazpromneft-Aero’s experience can be applied to create an integrated approach that includes, along with microbiological control, other instruments such as various visual and evaluation tests, additives, and mechanical methods to prevent fuel contamination. In future, this comprehensive approach may be successfully applied across the entire Russian aviation fuel supply industry,” says Lydia Kovba, the head of the laboratory of the Aviation Fuel Certification Centre of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise State Research Institute of Civil Aviation.
*Oil products, storage tanks and other processing equipment, as well as aircraft fuel tanks can be contaminated with various types of microorganisms and their metabolic products. They pose significant danger to aircraft fuel system operation, causing corrosion of fuel control equipment, protective coatings destruction, clogging of filters and sensors, as well causing technological equipment failures.
