KazMunayGas and CITIC Resources discuss Caspi Bitum modernization projectAskhat Khasenov, CEO KazMunayGas JSC (KMG), and Wang Xinli, Vice President of CITIC Resources Holdings Limited, have discussed the progress of the Caspi Bitum expansion project, KMG said in a Friday press release."The project that is aimed to increase the production capacity of the Caspi Bitum plant from 1 million to 1.5 million tonnes per year involves modernization of the existing primary crude oil processing unit (CDU/VDU – [Crude Distillation Unit / Vacuum Distillation Unit]), which will allow the company to increase the production of road bitumen from today’s 500,000 tonnes to 750,000 tonnes per year," the press release says.At this moment, the plant annually processes up to 1 million tonnes of high-viscosity oil from Karazhanbasmunai JSC, a subsidiary of KazMunayGas, to produce high-quality road bitumen and refined oil.“The construction of a temporary camp has already been completed near the Aktau bitumen plant, and an order for new equipment has already been placed. The modernization project will be completed and the plant will reach its design production capacity in the second quarter of 2025," the company said.Kazakhstan will continue producing bitumen during the Caspi Bitum expansion project at the other plants of KazMunayGas, including Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant LLP, which increased the production of road bitumen by 15% from January 2024. In addition, bitumen is produced by a number of private plants.KMG said in September of this year that dismantling work as necessary for the project for capacity expansion of the Aktau bitumen plant (JV Caspi Bitum LLP) would start in November-December 2024 and would be followed by installation of new equipment.As previously reported, dismantling work on the project to expand the capacity of the Aktau bitumen plant (JV Caspi Bitum LLP) was to begin in November-December 2024, followed by the installation of new equipment.JV Caspi Bitum LLP is the largest producer of road bitumen in Central Asia. The plant was built in 2010-2013 and put into operation on December 12, 2013. JV Caspi Bitum LLP was established by KazMunayGas and CITIC Kazakhstan LLP on a parity basis.The agreement between KazMunayGas and CITIC Group on the expansion project of Caspi Bitum in 2024-2025 was signed on October 17, 2023 during the visit of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to China. Once the project is completed, Kazakhstan will become fully self-sufficient in bitumen.In January 2024, KazMunayGas signed an agreement with national highway operator KazAvtoZhol JSC on the supply of road bitumen to the domestic market. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX