Kazakhstan offers Kuwait participation in construction of fourth refineryKazakhstan's Ambassador to Kuwait Yerzhan Elekeyev discussed with Kuwaiti Oil Minister Tariq Al-Roumi opportunities for investment in Kazakhstan, including participation in the construction of a fourth oil refinery, the press service of the Kazakh Foreign Ministry reported."During the conversation, the Kazakh side emphasized that Kazakhstan is consistently pursuing a course toward deeper processing of hydrocarbon raw materials and expanding production of high value-added products. ... The ambassador proposed that the Kuwaiti side consider the possibility of participating in investment projects in Kazakhstan's refining sector, including the construction of a fourth oil refinery, the construction issue of which is at the stage of elaboration at the level of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan," according to a statement released on Thursday.It was also reported that Oil Minister Al-Roumi confirmed Kuwait's interest in developing cooperation with Kazakhstan and informed of the Kuwaiti side's intention to begin studying promising Kazakh investment projects this year.The ambassador also handed the oil minister an invitation letter to participate in the 30th anniversary Kazakhstan International Oil & Gas Exhibition and Conference (KIOGE), which will be held from September 30 to October 1, 2026, in Almaty.The Foreign Ministry notes that Kuwait is one of the key players in the global oil market: the country's oil production volume in recent years amounts to approximately 2.5-2.9 million barrels per day (over 120 million tonnes per year). Kuwait has significant experience in developing refining and petrochemicals: on its territory is one of the largest refineries in the Middle East - the Al-Zour refinery complex with a capacity of about 615,000 barrels per day.Currently, Kazakhstan has three major refineries producing petroleum products: Pavlodar Oil Chemistry Refinery, PetroKazakhstan Oil Products, and Atyrau Refinery. According to Kazakhstan's Ministry of Energy, in 2024 the volume of oil refining in Kazakhstan amounted to 17.9 million tonnes, and for January-November 2025, refineries processed 16.6 million tonnes of oil.On February 10, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at an extended government meeting instructed the government to clarify whether the republic has sufficient raw materials for the new refinery. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX