Kazakhstan to Expand Three Refineries and Build a New One

Kazakhstan has begun a major expansion of its oil refining industry. The government plans to increase capacity at the country’s three largest refineries and is considering the construction of a new plant, Orda.kz reports.

Kazakhstan produced 99.6 million tons of oil in 2025, an increase of 13.5%. Production is expected to reach 98 million tons in 2026. In the first half of this year, the country produced 45.7 million tons of oil and refined 8.985 million tons.

Kazakhstan’s refineries processed 18.4 million tons of oil last year. The government now plans to expand three major facilities:

Authorities are also developing plans for a new refinery capable of processing 10 million tons of oil annually.

Kazakhstan’s four operating bitumen plants can produce a combined 1.66 million tons per year. The government says this is enough to meet domestic demand for road construction.

The refinery expansion comes as neighboring Russia faces fuel shortages following damage to refineries and unplanned shutdowns.

The government also reported growth in the gas industry. Natural gas production rose 15% in 2025 to 68.2 billion cubic meters. Kazakhstan produced 31.9 billion cubic meters in the first half of 2026 and plans to increase access to gas in populated areas to 64.3% by year-end.

Original author: Alexander Smolin

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