Improving integration links between Russian oil refining and petrochemistry in the context of structural transformation in the oil and gas complex

The features of developing integration links between Russian oil refining and petrochemistry as a factor of the oil and gas complex stability in the context of structural transformation have been studied. The subject of the research is management, economic, and technological tools of intersegment integration in hydrocarbon processing. The purpose of the study is to identify and substantiate the priority areas for developing interaction between oil refining and petrochemistry, considering technological, regulatory, and spatial factors. The methodological basis of the research consists of systematic and interdisciplinary approaches to the analysis of integration processes in the oil and gas complex. The methods of bibliometric analysis and thematic mapping of publications for 2010–2025, content analysis of scientific sources, as well as structural, functional, and comparative analysis of regulatory and legal regulation and state support tools, including tax incentives, special economic zones, and cluster forms of production organization, have been used. A general and economic-managerial corpus of scientific publications has been formed, and thematic groups and a limited representation of managerial aspects in the general body of work have been identified. It has been shown that integration development is determined by a combination of fiscal incentives, a cluster approach, and preferential regimes, as well as modern technological solutions implementation. It has been established that these tools contribute to an increase in the share of high-grade products, increase processing chains stability, and reduce risks in the oil and gas complex. The study results can be used when designing government support measures and programs for the oil and gas complex development. The prospects for further research are related to constructing quantitative models for assessing integration effectiveness and analyzing the fiscal impact of industry incentives.

1. Pykhov, P. A. (2022). Fuel and energy complex of Russia under sanctions restrictions. Moscow Economic Journal, 2, 147–157. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.55186/2413046X_2022_7_12_748

2. Naumov, V. В., Prosvirin, E. A. (2023). Analysis of State-Business Interaction in the Oil аnd Gas Industry Against the Backdrop оf Sanctions Pressure in 2022: Challenges аnd Opportunities. Humanities and Social Sciences. Bulletin of the Financial University, 13(3), 141–151. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.26794/2226-7867-2023-13-3-141-151

3. van Eck, N. J., Waltman, L. (2010). Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping. Scientometrics, 84, 523–538.

4. Afanasiev, V. Yu., Baykova, O. V., Bolshakova, O. I., Romantsov, A. A. (2025). Prospects for the development of the Russian petrochemical complex in the period of geopolitical and economic changes. Vestnik Universiteta, 1, 91–103. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.26425/1816-4277-2025-1-91-103

5. Golovnin, M. Yu., Nikolaev, I. A., Akhapkin, N. Yu. (2025). The Russian economy under sanctions pressure: interim results (2022–2025) and development prospects: Scientific Reports of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Moscow: Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. (In Russian).

6. Braginsky, O. B. (2023). On modelling the development of an industrial sector under sanctions. In: Strategic planning and development of enterprises: Proceedings of XXIV All-Russian Symposium, Moscow, April 11–12, 2023. Moscow: Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.34706/978-5-8211-0814-2-s2-11

7. Braginsky, O. B. (2024). Development of the Russian petrochemical industry in the context of tightening economic sanctions. Economics of Contemporary Russia, 3, 51–65. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.33293/1609-1442-2024-3(106)-51-65

8. Ahsan, M., Tian, L., Du, R., Alhussan, A. A., & El-kenawy, E.-S. M. (2024). Enhancing environmental sustainability through code-driven process integration in the petrochemical industry. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 12, 1389639.

9. Zhang, Y., Xing, E., Han, W., Yang, P., Zhang, S., Liu, S., Cao, D., & Li, M. (2024). Petrochemical Industry for the Future. Engineering, 43, 99–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eng.2024.06.017

10. Hagos, F. Y., Abd Aziz, A. R., & Zainal, E. Z. (2022). Recovery of gas waste from the petroleum industry: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters, 20, 263–281. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-021-01345-1

11. Akah, A. C., Al-Shafei, E., Xu, Q., Al-Herz, M., Qureshi, Z. S., Siddiqui, M. A. B., & Aitani, A. (2025). Direct catalytic cracking of crude oil-to-chemicals: Impact of steam catalytic cracking on petrochemicals yield. Chemical Engineering Journal Advances, 23, 100794. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ceja.2025.100794

12. Zhou, X., Li, S., Wang, Y., Zhang, J., Zhang, Z., Wu, C., Chen, X., Feng, X., Liu, Y., Zhao, H., Yan, H., & Yang, C. (2022). Crude oil hierarchical catalytic cracking for maximizing chemicals production: Pilot-scale test, process optimization strategy, techno-economic-society-environment assessment. Energy Conversion and Management, 253, 115149. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2021.115149

13. Afanasiev, V. Ya., Baykova, O. V., Bolshakova, O. I., Romantsov, A. A. (2024). Creating incentives for petrochemistry development in sanctioned economy. Vestnik Universiteta, 6, 45–54. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.26425/18164277-2024-6-45-54

14. Ponomarenko, T. V., Gorbatyuk, I. G., Solovyova, V. M., Dirani, F. (2024). The choice of forms and instruments of state support for the implementation of projects in the oil and gas sector. Journal of economics, entrepreneurship and law, 7, 3419–3434. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.18334/epp.14.7.121091

15. Porter, M. E. (1990). The competitive advantage of nations. New York: Free Press.

16. Masterov, A. I. (2025). Fiscal efficiency of preferential regimes: indicators and assessment methods. Bulletin of the Altai Academy of Economics and Law, 9-2, 282–288. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.17513/vaael.4336

17. Masterov, A. I. (2025). Cluster approach as a tool for increasing the efficiency of project financing in Russia. Management and business administration, 3, 86–92. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.33983/2075-1826-2025-3-86-92

18. Ponomarenko, T. V., Gorbatyuk, I. G., Cherepovitsyn, A. E. (2024). Industrial clusters as an organizational form of development of the Russian petrochemical industry. Notes of the Mining Institute, 270, 1024–1037. (In Russian).