New refinery project in Kazakhstan not viable before 2019-2020 - minister
ASTANA. Oct 4 (Interfax) - Construction of a new refinery in Kazakhstan is not planned before 2019-2020, Oil and Gas Minister Sauat Mynbayev said.
"Modernization of all three oil refineries is slated until 2015 to ramp their aggregate processing capacity up to 17.5 million tonnes per year and increase oil refining efficiency to make Kazakhstan self-sufficient in all types of petroleum products. After 2019-2020 building of a new refinery is planned," said Mynbayev at the 6th Eurasian Kazenergy Forum on Tuesday in Astana.
Mynbayev said some high-octane gasoline on the domestic market is imported, and dependence on the imports during fuel crises and price spikes disrupts domestic market supply, as it happened this summer.
"We can't stay away from global price trends, but we can protect the domestic market from sharp price fluctuations. The government, with some delay though, has initiated an upgrade and modernization program of the refineries," he said.
There are three oil refineries in Kazakhstan: in Pavlodar, Shymkent and Atyrau. All three are controlled by the KazMunayGas national company.