08.12.2011, 11:39 6548

Kazakh oil refining to increase in Kazakhstan

According to the 'KazMunaiGas' national company, Kazakhstan produces over 80 million tons of oil annually whereas the domestic consumption stands at 13 million tons, so the bulk part is exported. The situation is expected to change and the consumption of the country's own 'black gold' will be growing.

Astana. December 8. Kazakhstan Today - Kazakh oil refining to increase in Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Today reports.

According to the 'KazMunaiGas' national company, Kazakhstan produces over 80 million tons of oil annually whereas the domestic consumption stands at 13 million tons, so the bulk part is exported. The situation is expected to change and the consumption of the country's own 'black gold' will be growing, Caspionet reported.

Kazakhstan intends to increase the amount of refined oil in the country. Thus, KazMunaiGas is planning to reconstruct and modernize all three refineries - Atyrau, Shymkent and Pavlodar - by 2014, and bring their total capacity to 17 million tons of refined resources per year.

"Over the past 20 years the situation has greatly changed. These refineries no longer satisfy the country's needs. That is why we are currently upgrading these refineries and, hopefully, at some point the disproportion of producing petroleum products will be smoothed out and reduced," Aidan Karibzhanov, Deputy CEO, Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund JSC said.

According to a feasibility study, the Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant's capacity will be increased to 7.5 million tons per year while the refining depth will be brought up to 90%. The Atyrau refinery is implementing a project of aromatic hydrocarbons, which will allow for producing diesel fuel corresponding to Euro 4 emission standard. The Shymkent refinery is planned to be modernized before 2015. The aim of the project is to increase the enterprise's capacity up to 6 million tons per year. However, experts noted that it was necessary to create incentives for oil producers to refine it within the country.

"They will agree to keep oil within the country if the price is competitive and comparable enough to what they can get from export. In this regard we need to restore different technological ties that exist between oil producers in Siberia and the Pavlodar refinery, for example," Aidan Karibzhanov, Deputy CEO, Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund JSC noted.

Tax-free supplies of Russian oil to Kazakhstan will be reduced by 1 million tons in 2012. Due to this, the Kazakh Government is considering tolling schemes for loading the Pavlodar oil refinery. The Pavlodar refinery is the country's largest consumer of Russian oil. The refinery, constructed in the Soviet years, was designed for Siberian Light oil and is not designed for refining Kazakh hydrocarbons.

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