The journal Oil Refining and Petrochemistry applies double-blind peer review. It should be noted that complete anonymity of authors cannot be guaranteed — a reviewer may identify authorship by writing style, subject matter, or the nature of self-citation.

The period from receipt of a manuscript by the Editorial Office to publication is, as a rule, from 2 to 8 months, depending on the results of review and the need for revision.

Peer review is conducted for original research and review articles on the subject of petroleum refining and petrochemistry. Informational and presentational materials and announcements are not subject to review.

Review Procedure

A submitted manuscript undergoes an initial check by the Editorial Office. A manuscript is returned to the author without being sent for review if:

• — it does not correspond to the subject scope of the journal;
• — it does not meet the formatting and structural requirements established by the Guidelines for Authors;
• — it shows signs of substantial use of generative artificial intelligence tools to create scientific content — data, interpretations, or conclusions;
• — it raises reasonable doubts from the standpoint of publication ethics — in particular, where there are signs of plagiarism, self-plagiarism, data fabrication, or duplicate publication — and requires verification in accordance with the journal’s Editorial Ethics.

A manuscript that has passed the initial check is sent for review to a member of the editorial board overseeing the relevant field, or to an external expert — a scholar or specialist in the given field holding an academic degree. The reviewer is selected with regard to their scientific competence and the absence of a conflict of interest.

The reviewer evaluates the manuscript according to the following criteria:

• — relevance and scientific novelty;
• — reliability and correctness of the presented data and methods;
• — soundness of the conclusions;
• — conformity with the subject scope and requirements of the journal;
• — quality of the presentation of the material.

Based on the results of the review, the reviewer recommends one of the following decisions: accept the manuscript for publication; accept after revision; reject.

Confidentiality

Review is conducted confidentially. The manuscript is the intellectual property of the author; the information contained in it is not subject to disclosure. The review is of a closed nature and is provided to the author upon their written request without disclosing information about the reviewer. Upon a corresponding request, the review may be sent to the Higher Attestation Commission (VAK) of the Russian Federation. A breach of confidentiality is permissible only if the reviewer reports the unreliability or falsification of the manuscript’s materials.

Revision and Appeal

If a review contains remarks, the manuscript is sent to the author for revision. In this case, the date of receipt by the Editorial Office is considered to be the date of return of the revised manuscript. In case of disagreement with the reviewer’s conclusion, the author has the right to send a reasoned response to the Editorial Office. The manuscript may be referred for re-review or considered by the editorial board.

Publication Decision

The final decision on publication is made by the Editor-in-Chief or their deputy, and, if necessary, by the editorial board as a whole, on the basis of the reviewer’s conclusion, the scientific quality of the manuscript, and its conformity with the journal’s editorial policy. The journal does not guarantee acceptance of a manuscript for publication. Review is carried out within a reasonable time; in case of delay, the Editorial Office notifies the author and provides the opportunity to withdraw the manuscript.

The author receives notification of the decision made. In case of rejection of the manuscript, the Editorial Office, upon the author’s request, sends a reasoned refusal.