Astana, December 5 - Neftegaz.RU. According to the Astana Times, the Shymkent Oil Refinery recently completed a modernisation allowing it to meet Euro-4 and Euro-5 fuel standards while making the refinery more environmentally friendly.
The $1.8 billion upgrade also increased the refinery’s annual production capacity from 5.25 to 6 million tonnes. The modernisation of the refinery was part of Kazakhstan’s national Industrialisation Programme and was completed in 2 stages beginning in 2014.
The 1st stage from 2014-2017 equipped the refinery to meet Euro-4 and Euro-5 fuel standards, said Shymkent Oil Refinery Director Bolat Bayetov at a recent press conference announcing the completion of project.
The 1st stage included equipping the refinery to produce elemental sulphur and building a light naphtha isomerisation unit. The stage also included the reconstruction of the refinery’s diesel hydro dewaxing refineries, said Bayetov.
The 2nd stage from 2015-2018 increased the refinery’s capacity to 6 million tonnes per year and improved its refining levels. The refinery is meant largely to meet Kazakhstan’s light petroleum product needs and decrease the shortage of diesel fuel of the country.
Next year the refinery plans to start producing jet fuel of the RT brand with further perspectives to produce Jet 1 international brand for local and international market.