Uzbekistan's Oil Refining and Gas Processing Capacity Expands

Strategic Insights -

Uzbekistan has been ramping up its oil refining and gas processing capacity in recent years, with its three refineries producing a combined 224,000 barrels per day (b/d) of oil products. The country, which has been a significant exporter of oil products to neighboring Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries, has been working to increase its production and processing capacity to meet local demand and tap into emerging international markets. The Bukhara refinery, which came online in 1997, has a capacity of 2.5 million tons per year (50,000 b/d) and is expected to expand to 5 million tons per year.

Key Takeaways:

  • Uzbekistan's three refineries, the Ferghana refinery, the Alty-Aryk refinery, and the Bukhara refinery, have a combined capacity of 224,000 b/d.
  • 95,000 b/d of the products from these plants' output are being exported to neighboring CIS countries.
  • The Bukhara refinery, which was commissioned in 1997, has a capacity of 2.5 million tons per year and is expected to expand to 5 million tons per year.
  • Japan's Mitsui completed a $200m upgrade at the Ferghana refinery in 2001 to expand its desulphurisation system.
  • The Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex, located in southwestern Uzbekistan, was completed in 2001 at a cost of $1 billion and has a capacity of 28.3 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
  • The complex has plants that can produce ethylene, polyethylene, and 137,000 tons per year of LPG.
  • Uzbekistan's state-owned oil and gas company, UzbekNefteGaz (UNG), exported oil products worth $770 million in 2005 but saw its production of crude oil and gas condensate drop 13.5% in the first quarter of 2006 compared to the same period in 2005.
  • UNG's refineries produced 321,800 tons of gasoline, 87,500 tons of kerosine, 228,600 tons of fuel oil, 339,500 tons of diesel, 60,600 tons of petroleum bitumen, and 56,000 tons of LPG in the first quarter of 2006.

Statistics:

  • Production capacity of Uzbekistan's three refineries: 224,000 b/d.
  • Export volume of oil products to CIS countries: 95,000 b/d.
  • Production of gasoline, kerosine, fuel oil, diesel, petroleum bitumen, and LPG in the first quarter of 2006: 321,800 tons, 87,500 tons, 228,600 tons, 339,500 tons, 60,600 tons, and 56,000 tons, respectively.
  • Decrease in production of crude oil and gas condensate in the first quarter of 2006 compared to the same period in 2005: 13.5%.
  • Cost of the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex: $1 billion.
  • Capacity of the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex: 28.3 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
  • Production capacity of the Bukhara refinery: 2.5 million tons per year (50,000 b/d).
  • Expected expansion of the Bukhara refinery: 5 million tons per year.

Sources:

  • "Uzbekistan's Oil Sector Developments" by Energy Information Administration (External Source: Externally referenced; publication date: 2006; file: EIA155-b.pdf)
  • "Uzbekistan: Oil and Gas Sector" by GlobalData (External Source: Externally referenced; publication date: 2005; file: GDN154-b.pdf)
  • "Uzbekistan to sell 39% stake in oil refining company" by Interfax (External Source: Externally referenced; publication date: 1998; file: Interfax128-b.pdf)
  • "Uzbekistan State-Owned Oil and Gas Company" by Bloomberg (External Source: Externally referenced; publication date: 2005; file: BLR147-b.pdf)