Kazakhstan boosted oil refining volume by 4% in JanOil refining in Kazakhstan increased by 4% in January 2025 to make 1.53 million tonnes, which is 0.6% above the target, the press service of the Ministry of National Economy said in a Monday press release.The contribution of the oil refining sector to the republic’s GDP is below 1%, according to the press release.After the completion of the expansion project by JV Caspi Bitum LLP in late May 2025, the design capacity of Aktau Bitumen Plant will increase from 1 million tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes. The total oil refining capacity of Kazakhstan will increase from 18 million tonnes to 18.5 million tonnes in 2026.Aktau Bitumen Plant, which was put into operation in 2013, is managed by the Kazakh-Chinese JV Caspi Bitum LLP, which is owned by National Company KazMunayGas JSC (50%) and CITIC Kazakhstan LLP (50%). The feedstock is supplied to the plant through the pipeline from the Karazhanbas oil field.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.There are three refineries in Kazakhstan: the Shymkent refinery, which is owned by KazMunayGas and CNPC on a parity basis, the Atyrau and Pavlodar refineries, which are controlled by KazMunayGas. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX