Kazakhstan is clearly behind with reconstruction of its oil refineries - Oil Minister
ASTANA. April 26 (Interfax) - Kazakhstan's Minister of Oil and Gas Sauat Mynbayev believes that the country has been tardy with reconstruction of its three oil refineries.
"We are significantly behind with reconstruction and boosting the capacity of our three refineries. This, along with the presence of our oil, has caused problems in supplying to the domestic market," Mynbayev said during an online conference with the Bnews.kz portal on Thursday.
In this regard, Mynbayev believes it is necessary to build a new oil refinery in Kazakhstan in 2020.
"We are planning a fourth refinery, which should start construction [in 2020]. All preparations should start in 2018. Why build in 2020? Because if construction is brought to a conclusion in four to five years, the capacity of the three reconstructed refineries would not be enough by 2025 as domestic demand increases," he said.
"It is necessary to prepare earlier for a situation when the three refineries' capacity is insufficient, bearing in mind an increase in domestic consumption," the minister said.
Kazakhstan has three oil refineries - Pavlodar, Shymkent and Atyrau. All facilities are controlled by KazMunaiGaz.
