In 1994 CORVUS Company was among the first companies if Latvia working in field of environment protection and ecology.

Almost from the date of incorporation one of the most important activities of our company is collection and transportation of waste oil and oil-contaminated water, as well as processing and disposal of waste oil, sludge and oil-containing water.

CORVUS Company still successfully continues collection of waste oil at the entire territory of Latvia, as well as actively acts in collection and transportation of ship ballast water contaminated with oil products in ports of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland.

Capacity of our equipment allows accepting up to 7500 m3 of oil-containing waste. After reconstruction Bolderaya PRK presently hosts production facility including reservoir yard, renovated and reinforced storage spaces for hazardous waste, as well as waste oil processing equipment.

Reconstruction shall take several years to complete, and during this period new facilities will gradually be put into commission, while providing continuity of production.

We would separately note that object reconstruction takes place using own funds of the company only, without borrowing any funds from banks and other financial institutions, or European financing.

During our work we have accrued extensive experience in collection and processing of waste oil, as well as fuel production. We have tested several methods, developed and patented new techniques and devices engaged in fuel production process. Our experience and developments earned deserved attention in business and scientific field.

Developments performed by Innovation department of CORVUS Company under guidance of PhD Alexander Polyakov have been awarded many times at multiple international exhibitions and congresses.

CORVUS Company is an environmentally oriented company aimed to protect our environment. Therefore we are carefully following all the events in the field. Still we regretfully admit that many countries presently have waste oil storages at their territories containing sulphuric acid, which developed as a result of oil product processing applying concentrated sulphuric acid, first of all in production of industrial lube oils. These so called acid tars and acid goudrons, under circumstances of missing opportunity of removing and processing were deposited mostly in open storages, so called acid tar ponds. These deposits are important environmental hazard. Latvia also has such ponds at its territory, in Inchukalns. After accession to EU in 2004 tar ponds in Inchukalns were included in the list of most hazardous historically contaminated objects subject to recovery funded by EU.

Since 1994, CORVUS Company monitors these hazardous objects. Our experience in processing and disposal of waste oils allowed us to develop a technique of neutralization of liquid layers of acid tar and a device for its implementation, as well as another device for preparation of utilized fuel from waste oils, including neutralized tar. These developments are based upon Latvian and Russian patents obtained by our employees.

With designs that could be applied, particularly, in neutralization of liquid layer of acid tar, CORVUS Company was ready to participate in recovery works in tar ponds in Inchukalns. CORVUS Company participates in international exhibitions, conferences, and workshops on annual basis.

On September 28, 2011 Nizhny Novgorod hosted a scientific conference «Industrial waste processing. Ecology. Technology». Following an invitation from conference organizers, CORVUS Company representatives also participated in the conference. Considering that CORVUS Company has ready designs in field of neutralization of acid compounds, in particular, acid tad, conference organizers applied to CORVUS Company with an offer to present a report for the theme. We were represented by PhD Alexander Polyakov who offered a report «Some specifics of acid tars processing». The report covered the technique of acid tar processing into fuel, developed by CORVUS Company, which earned a high interest among participants.

In October 2011 CORVUS Company was invited to conference «Oil and petrochemical waste 2011» as an EU expert and was included in workgroup for development of law amendments related to ecology.

One of the new activities that already has become important, is waste oil management. We have developed and successfully implemented at many Baltic companies a hazardous waste management system – precisely modeled and meeting all main criteria of a EU Hazardous Waste Directive 91/156/EEC of 18.04.1991, as well as Directive 91/689/EEC. The system allows every industrial company which in the production process develops hazardous waste to comply with all requirements of environmental safety in accordance with directives of European Union, as well as to mitigate costs for ensuring correspondence to said requirements.

CORVUS Company pays primary attention to quality of its work which is in full compliance with requirements of our customers and modern industrial and environmental standards. We highly appreciate trust of our clients and perform our duties in accordance with their demands.

Presently worldwide business community pays special attention to environmental protection and reduction of negative impact onto environment.

Assessment of environmental impact is used as a basis for ecological management system which assists a company in developing a structure and combining processes aimed to gradual attainment of predefined indicators of activities.

Being a company planning to reach a new and different development level, and seeking to enter new markets, including international ones, we faced a necessity to obtain a certificate of compliance with requirements of international standard ISO 14001:2004.

In 2008 our company passed a first compliance test and received a certificate on February 20 of the same year. During next three years ISO certification body took annual inspection audits.

And now, on April 26, 2006 CORVUS Company received a Certificate of Compliance No. 96008-2011-AE-LVA-FINAS, issued by an international certification body Det Norske Veritas with a three-year term.

This means that ecological management system implemented by CORVUS Company is in full compliance with requirements set by international standard ISO 14001:2004.

A confirmation issued for ecological management system on compliance with ISO 14001:2004 standard presumes that company management undertakes certain obligations to continuously raise environmental efficacy considering available possibilities.

To implement the plans and to attain the goals, CORVUS Company continuously improves in the field of activity, follows modern developments and technology, tries to be a step before the competitors, and trains its staff.

Presently, in circumstances of fierce competition, any company needs to apply highest service level in order to keep the existing customers. A flawless quality and progressive style of work opens wide possibilities to continue our activities and promote new projects.

We would like to thank our customers and business partners for their trust, for long-term fruitful cooperation, for assistance and support in complicated situations.

Regardless of difficulties in the process of overcoming consequences of crisis, as well as impediments and hindrances put by governing authorities, unfair competition at the market, pressure and unfair fight for customers shown by our competitors, CORVUS Company is still confident on its way to the goal.

Still without our high-spirited, dedicated and united team of qualified specialists we would not be able to attain our goals and make our company flourish in future.

We can definitely say that our company employs real specialists being able to earn trust of our customers and respect in their field of activity.

Thanks a lot everyone!

Report on the participation in the international conference

«Oil and petrochemical waste 2011»

CORVUS Company took part in the international conference «Oil and petrochemical waste 2011», held on October 14 in Moscow and organized by a leading integrator in the Russian market of petrochemicals, ZAO CREON. The conference hall of hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscow brought together representatives of oil and gas holdings, oil refineries, engineering companies, scientific and design organizations.

To date, the most acute problem for many refineries and petrochemical plants is the problem of waste disposal. Only in Russia annually more than 3 million tons of waste oil and sludge are left unclaimed. As a result due to existing inefficient process of recycling about 100 million tons of waste has been accumulated, of which in the process of recycling one can get new products or raw materials for recycling.

The solution of the problem of disposing of waste oil and petrochemicals in Russia presently is controlled by the President of Russia, who ordered as soon as possible to develop and submit to the State Council draft laws related to environmental safety. Developing of new regulations will take as a basis European technology guides which are characterized by stringent requirements to oil and petrochemical companies.

CORVUS Company, since its incorporation in 1994, is engaged, among others, in waste oil collection, their processing and production of liquid petroleum product. Over 17 years of work in this area the company has accumulated extensive experience in the field of processing and disposal of oily waste. During this period we have tested different methods, developed and patented new technologies and devices involved in the processing and disposal of oily waste and sludge.

Currently, the Innovation Department of CORVUS Company has started production of the first pilot plant for incineration of contaminated oil wastes, including sludge and oil contaminated soil. The device will also burn solid and medical waste. The device is developed on the basis of the obtained Latvian patents: LV14352B «Method and device for thermal incineration of oil sludge» and LV14353B «Device for thermal incineration of oil sludge».

Experience and development of our company have not gone unnoticed in the business and academic field. For instance, CORVUS Company has been invited to participate in the conference «Oil and petrochemical waste 2011» as expert from the EU, and joined the working group with purpose of developing amendments to law related to the environment in the Russian Federation.

The conference covered on such things as the current status, prospects and state regulation of production, processing and disposal of sludge, the cost effectiveness of different areas of processing, the state and prospects of the market, financing of recycling projects, and presented a variety of technologies for processing and disposal of petroleum and petrochemical waste.

An important aspect of the conference was the discussion about the existing problems in a wide range of experts and interested industry professionals. The conference participants emphasized the importance of solving the problem of disposal of oil and petrochemical waste in Russia and came to the conclusion that the existing problems in the industry require consolidation of industry players and development of a common strategy on the issue of hazardous waste disposal.

Considering the special importance of the issue of hazardous waste disposal for the whole country, this conference has become one of the key events in the industry.

Innovation Department of CORVUS Company started to develop and produce an experimental model of Contaminated oil waste incineration device, able to process sludge and oil contaminated soil. The device will also allow to burn solid and medical waste.

The device is developed on the basis of Latvian patents obtained by the company: LV14352B «Naftas duļķu sadedzināšanas veids un iekārta» and LV14353B «Device for thermal incineration of oil sludge».. The method of thermal incineration of oil sludge layer includes creation of pseudo-boiling layer by air and supply of flue gas for post-combustion. In the proposed method in the process of air supply to create a layer of pseudo-boiling layer water and fuel emulsion is simultaneously fed into sludge, while the transmission speed of gases for post-combustion is adjusted.

In the proposed device the floor of a combustion chamber is made of a series of pipes with nozzles for air supply, between which pipes of smaller diameter with nozzles for supplying of water and fuel emulsion are located; combustion chamber before opening for gas exit has a reflective screen installed.

The device for thermal incineration of waste contains combustion chamber connected with afterburning chamber, heat insulating device and a cleaning system of flue gases. The proposed device uses a standard steam boiler as a post-combustion camera and heat insulating device, while the floor of boiler furnace is lowered by 500-800 mm, and floor and the lower drum of furnace screen has a fuel nozzle in between placed at an angle of 0÷20° to the floor of the furnace; as fuel for afterburning the device uses water and fuel emulsion with a water content of 8-13%, and the preparation of the emulsion is carried out in a rotary mixer-disperser, such as DRS 10.

«Recycling of industrial waste. Ecology. Technology»

On September 28, 2011 in Nizhny Novgorod, Lobachevsky Nizhny Novgorod State University, with support of Ministry of Education and Science of RF, Administration of Nizhny Novgorod region, the Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod and Nizhny Novgorod, a scientific-practical conference «Recycling of industrial waste. Ecology. Technology» was arranged. The aim of the conference was to attract the attention of authorities, public and media to the problem of disposal of large environmentally hazardous industrial waste. Another proof of seriousness of the event was that the conference was supported by the Ministry of Education and Science, Government of the Nizhny Novgorod region, the Legislative Assembly of Nizhny Novgorod and Nizhny Novgorod. The conference was opened and welcomed by participants: Minister of Environment and Natural Resources of Nizhny Novgorod N.I. Nebov, first deputy minister of industry and innovation of Nizhny Novgorod Region I.G. Sazonov, rector of Lobachevsky UNN E.V. Chuprunov. Deputy Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, the Nizhny Novgorod region N.N. Mochalina presented the report «Problems of recycling industrial waste in the Nizhny Novgorod region, relevance and solutions». The report paid special attention to processing of such wastes in petrochemical industry as acid tars, which are a source of environmental pollution. Acid tars, being highly viscous resinous mass containing various organic compounds, free sulfuric acid and water, cause irreparable harm to the environment. First of all, the environment is degraded with acid, since it goes into the air, pollutes water and earth. Acid tars are accumulated in ponds, which occupy large areas. Only in the Nizhny Novgorod region accrued amount of acid tars is about 250 thousand tons. The moderator of the conference was Arkady Danilovich Zorin, Professor Emeritus of UNN, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, winner of USSR State Prize, Honored Worker of Science and Technology of Russia. He made an extensive report entitled «Environmental and technological aspects of processing acid tars», where he showed not only the condition of acid tar lakes in Nizhny Novgorod region, but also have developed Russian technology for processing sulfuric acid tars. After invitation of the organizers of the conference, CORVUS Company representatives also participated in this scientific and practical conference. Considering that CORVUS Company has developments in the neutralization of acidic compounds, namely sulfuric acid tar, the conference organizers applied to CORVUS Company with a proposal to make a report on this subject. From our side, we presented a report «Some features of processing sulfuric acid tars» by Doctor of Technical Sciences Aleksandr Alekseyevitch Polyakov. The report covered the technology of processing sulfuric acid tars into fuel, developed by CORVUS Company, which aroused great interest among participants. The conference also included reports on the technology of thin-layer cracking of acid tars, study of group composition of acid tars in their processing, determining acidity of the sulfonic acid tars, analytical control in processing acid tars as well as reports on laboratory equipment Participants had the opportunity to listen to reports on the status of acid tars in Volga region, Yaroslavl region. Participants noted the high scientific and technological level of presented works on the problem of disposal of acid tars and decided to establish a research center for astringent materials in Lobachevsky Nizhny Novgorod State University.

Moscow International «Oil and Gas Exhibition» /MIOGE/2011

On June 21-24, 2001 the international exhibition complex Expocenter hosted the Eleventh Moscow International Exhibition «Petroleum and Gas» 2011/MIOGE2011, which also included convening of 9th Russia Petroleum and Gas Congress/RPGC 2011. Both the exhibition and complex presently comprise a largest international business event involving Russian, European and worldwide leaders of petroleum and gas sector. The importance and scope of the event was evidenced by General partnership of Ministry of Energy of Russian Federation. Ob its side, at the Congress the Partner of the Petroleum Day was NK Rosneft and at Gas Day – OAO Gazprom. Participation of leading companies, such as Gazprom, Rosneft, Bashneft, Gazprom Neft, Zarubezhneft, Tatneft, Transneft, TMK, ABB, Cameron, Caterpillar, CNPC, GE, National Oilwell Varco, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Yokogawa Electric and many more has already become a good tradition. Уже стало хорошей традицией участие в выставке таких ведущих компаний, как «Газпром», «Роснефть», «Башнефть», «Газпром нефть», «Зарубежнефть», «Татнефть», «Транснефть», «Трубная Металлургическая Компания» (ТМК), ABB, Cameron, Caterpillar, CNPC, GE, National Oilwell Varco, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Yokogawa Electric и многих других. The Congress included plenary meetings devoted to strategic issues of sector development, special meetings dedicated to petroleum and gas sector, and a continuous work of technical sections. During the Congress the participants discussed very important issues related to current situation and development perspectives in petroleum and gas complex. Special attention was paid to role and future of alternative sources of hydrocarbons in petroleum sector and respectively to environmental safety issues. CORVUS Company regularly participates in such large-scale events. This year, following an invitation from our partners in Russia, CORVUS Company managerial board in cooperation with representatives of Moscow office actively participated in 9th Russia Petroleum and Gas Congress and other events within the exhibition. CORVUS Company representatives were engaged in discussions on issues related to environmental and technology aspects of the sector, elimination of adverse effects to environment, implementation of sustainable development idea at industry producing plants, innovative solutions and developments within the sector. Our report «Implementation of hazardous waste management systems in petroleum and gas industry companies as a way of diminishing environment contamination risk» arose a great interest among participants. The report paid special attention to environmental safety issues, including environmental risks management. Participation in meetings, work of specialized sections discussing both strategic directions and certain issues in petroleum and gas sector segments, was a great chance to gain new knowledge and share experience with other participants. At the exhibition our company’s representatives have investigated modern high-efficient machinery, recent developments and technologies presented by leaders in petroleum and gas sector. A special interest arose modern technologies in field of associated petroleum gas utilization. The event was a great place for business cooperation, and its positive atmosphere helped to establish new contacts, share experience and find new partners.

On April 26, 2011 «CORVUS Company» has received a certificate Nr.96008-2011-AE-LVA-FINAS corresponding to ecological management system ISO 14001:2004. The conformity certification has been issued by an international certificating organization Det Norske Veritas. Specialists from Det Norske Veritas have highlighted the following strengths of CORVUS Company: management system: responsibility of managing persons, management system efficiency, products distribution planning, continuous improvement, monitoring and assessment of processes and ecological impacts, risk management measures, in-house auditing, competence, staff training and knowledge, emergency readiness planning, software implementation in management system, infrastructure and production environment.

СCertificate ISO 14001:2004 approves that our ecological management system at an enterprise has been assessed and conforms to the standard.

«Professional plagiarism»

In our modern world, in the world of advanced technology and the World-Wide Web, where it is easy to find any information you want, not to mention books, movies, music, etc., it is hard to avoid the fate to become a victim of plagiarism. This article we would like to dedicate to the subject.

On the web page of a company “Потрам-Нефть” there appeared an advertisement of Mini-Plant “Потрам-Кислый гудрон – Легкая нефть” (“Portram-Acid tar – Light oil”). The advert contains no information about the mini-plant. Instead, it gives a full description of acid tar neutralization technology. It entirely repeats the information from the official CORVUS Company web page.

In CORVUS Company article “Сернокислые гудроновые озера и методы их утилизации” (“Acid tar lagoons and methods of their disposal”) besides of the tar lagoons condition analysis and methods of their remediation there is also introduced an acid tar processing technology (which has been patented in Latvia, Russia, Germany) and the results of pilot tests of acid tar transformation into fuel.

Just CORVUS Company developments were placed on the web page of “Потрам-Нефть” as their own original works (no references to CORVUS Company). Even typos in the text were carried over too. Such kind of foreign materials use, without reference to the author, is considered to be plagiarism and condemned in the whole world.

Plagiarism — the intentional appropriation of authorship of another person’s works of science or thoughts or art or inventions. Plagiarism may be a violation of copyright and patent law and being as such it may lead to legal liability.

The most commonly plagiarism is expressed in the publication. A person under his own name using another persons’ product or ideas, as well as borrowing fragments from the foreign works without specifying the source of borrowing. An obligatory feature of plagiarism is the appropriation of authorship, as the wrongful use, publication, copying of the work is protected by intellectual property law and by itself it is already not plagiarism but piracy. Piracy becomes plagiarism by the wrongful use of one’s intellectual work results and assigning of authorship by a publisher. Professional plagiarism provides the appropriation of intellectual, creative and professional achievements of the others for professional purposes (a goal — prestige, income, awards, recognition and so forth). Educational and scientific plagiarism — is the unauthorized use of someone else’s intellectual property solely in the process of obtaining scientific degree, educational qualification or recognition in the areas (http://dic.academic.ru/dic.nsf/ruwiki/80002)».

Unfortunately as we see CORVUS Company intellectual property sparked a true interest of scientific and technical literature readers and devotees. Article parts that were written by the company’s employees and presented on the official web page of the company were accurately copied and pasted in “creative works of the devotees”. The fact that surprised most of all is that people having no basis (inventions, patents, licenses) for the activity they narrate about not only gave any reference on the source of the used information, and thus appropriated the copyrights, but also not even bothered to change the presented work design.

If for the company „Потрам-Нефть” the appropriation of another authors’ works is the common practice then we truly feel sorry for the real authors of inventions who are working in the company. Regarding our case we consider that „Потрам-Нефть” must straight take away the appropriated material from its web page and apologize to CORVUS Company.