Kazakhstan Unveils Plans to Boost Oil Refining Capacity

Kazakh Minister of Energy, Yerlan Akkenzhenov, has announced major plans to expand the country’s oil refining sector during a government meeting.

In 2024, Kazakhstan’s refineries produced 17.9 million tons of oil, with 2025 production expected at the same level, The Caspian Post reports via Kazakh media.

Current facilities are highly digitalized, using advanced American and Japanese process control systems like Honeywell and Yokogawa.

Under the Oil Refining Industry Development Concept, work is underway to raise refining capacity from 18 to 30 million tons per year by 2032. By 2040, a new large-capacity plant with 10 million tons annual capacity will launch in a modern fuel-petrochemical configuration, increasing total refining capacity to 40 million tons with 95 per cent processing depth.

Oil product output, currently at 14.52 million tons, is expected to reach 29.2 million tons by 2040, with improvements in quality from K4 to K5+ standards, supporting both domestic demand and exports.

The expansion aligns with broader regional market trends, as OPEC+ recently paused output increases for early 2026 due to seasonality.