Kazakhstan has postponed scheduled maintenance at the Pavlodar oil chemistry refinery from 2026 to 2027 in an effort to ensure stable production and uninterrupted supplies of petroleum products during the period of heightened seasonal demand, Qazinform News Agency cites KazMunayGas.
The decision is aimed at minimizing the risk of localized fuel shortages and maintaining a reliable supply of fuel and lubricants to the domestic market, according to the company. KazMunayGas, Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company, said it has been systematically working to improve the reliability of the country’s oil refineries.
The Shymkent refinery has already moved to a three-year maintenance cycle, allowing it to operate continuously without a major shutdown. Meanwhile, work is underway at the Pavlodar oil chemistry refinery and the Atyrau refinery to extend the periods between major maintenance operations.
Kazakhstan is also pursuing projects to increase domestic refining capacity. Design documentation is currently being prepared to expand the capacity of the Shymkent refinery from 6 million to 12 million tons per year. The capacity of the Pavlodar oil chemistry refinery is planned to increase from 6 million to 9 million tons annually.
The company said the maintenance schedule adjustments and refinery expansion projects are expected to strengthen Kazakhstan’s energy security. Earlier, Qazinform reported the Atyrau oil refinery would raise crude processing to 6.1 million tons annually.