1. The main product lines include the API 610 OH, BB, and VS series, as well as pulp pumps, self-priming pumps, axial-flow pumps, mixed-flow pumps, and others.

2. Our pumps can serve as direct replacements for brands such as Sulzer, Ebara, Flottweg, KSB, ITT Goulds, Sundyne, Ruland Pump Company, DICKOW, Imperial, Nippon Seiko, and Hermetic, among others from Europe and North America.

3. We can supply tank pumps and magnetic drive pumps, and can also provide replacements from brands such as Imperial, Nippon Seiki, and sealed pumps.

4. We offer on-site selection and design services for API 610–compliant pumps, as well as installation and commissioning services, along with overseas technical services and training.

5. Our greatest strength lies in designing high-efficiency pumps for our customers, thereby reducing their operating costs. We export substantial volumes of high-quality API 610–compliant pumps to Russia and Iran, serving as replacements for products from SULZER, KSB, and Flowserve.

API 610 pumps are exported to countries including Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Libya, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Brazil, Algeria, Oman, Sudan, South Sudan, and other oil-producing nations, with annual export revenues reaching US$30 million.

Technical Advantages: (1) Remote Monitoring: Pressure and temperature sensors transmit data to the central control room in real time. (2) Self-Diagnosis of Faults: Artificial intelligence algorithms analyze operational data to predict fault types and locations. (3) Adaptive Parameter Adjustment: Operating parameters are automatically adjusted in response to changes in operating conditions. (4) Vibration and Temperature Monitoring: Bearings’ temperature and vibration are measured, mechanical seal temperature is monitored, and leaks are detected. (5) Early Fault Warning: Automatic alarms are triggered upon detection of abnormalities to prevent sudden shutdowns.

Kazakhstan’s refining industry is characterized by a oligopolistic structure in which state-owned equity stakes are held in medium-sized and deep-processing refineries, while the sector is dominated by three major refining companies. The country’s annual crude oil production exceeds 90 million tonnes, yet its domestic refining capacity is severely inadequate—approximately 18 million tonnes per year—resulting in a long-standing reliance on imports of refined petroleum products.

As of 2026, only three companies—namely the three major refineries—possess truly large-scale refining capacity; the remainder are small, privately owned, or petrochemical enterprises. Below is a detailed ranking of Kazakhstan’s top ten refiners, based on a comprehensive assessment of refining capacity, market share, and industry standing.

I. Shymkent Refinery (ShNPR) — a leading Sino-Kazakh joint venture and Kazakhstan’s largest refinery.

1. Company Overview
Completed/Commissioned: 1985 (Soviet era)
Shymkent / Location: Southern Kazakhstan (Turkistan Region)
Equity Structure: Kazakhstan National Oil and Gas Company (KMG) holds a 50% stake, and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) holds a 50% stake.
Industry Position: The largest oil refinery in Kazakhstan and a leading refining and petrochemical enterprise, accounting for approximately 35% of the country’s total petroleum product output.
Design annual capacity: 6 million tonnes (actual processing capacity in 2025 was 6.23 million tonnes).
Expansion Plan: China–Kazakhstan cooperation aims to increase production capacity to 12 million tonnes per year (“Dual-Track 6+6”), with completion expected by 2032.

2. Main Business and Products
Feedstock: Primarily processed crude oil sourced from oilfields in western Kazakhstan (Tengiz and Karachaganak).
Product Structure (2025) Annual Production Capacity:

Gasoline: 2.28 million tonnes (AI-92/95, Euro V standard)

Diesel: 2.1 million tonnes (ultra-low sulfur, Euro V standard)

Aviation fuel: 319,000 tonnes

Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): 335,000 tonnes

Market: Supplies southern and central Kazakhstan and exports to neighboring countries such as Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

3. Technology and Advantages

Level of modernization: As the “youngest” of the three major refineries, it boasts relatively new equipment and an processing depth of approximately 75%.

China–Kazakhstan Technical Cooperation: Comprehensive introduction of PetroChina’s catalytic cracking and hydrotreating technologies to ensure stable product quality.

Regional Monopoly: Controls the refined oil market in southern Central Asia, with a 54% share of the gasoline market and a 46% share of the diesel market.

4. Latest R&D

Doubling of Production Capacity: In February 2026, KMG and CNPC (CNODC) officially launched a feasibility study for the expansion of production capacity.

Strategic Positioning: As a core project under the national Major Special Project for Upgrading the Refining and Chemical Industries, it aims to alleviate the domestic supply shortage of high-octane gasoline.

II. Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant (PNPZ) – Kazakhstan’s Second-Largest Refinery

1. Company Overview
Date of commissioning: 1978 (Soviet era)
Location: Pavlodar, northeastern Kazakhstan
Shareholder composition: 100% owned by Kazakhstan National Oil and Gas Company (KMG).
Production capacity: 5.5 million tonnes per year (actual processing volume in 2025 was 5.76 million tonnes).
Status: The second-largest refinery, with product supply extending to northeastern Kazakhstan and southern Siberia in Russia.

2. Principal Operations and Products
Raw materials: West Siberian crude oil, North Kazakhstan crude oil
Products (2025):
Gasoline: 1.6 million tons
Diesel: 1.8 million tonnes (one of the largest diesel producers in the country)
Aviation fuel: 236,000 tonnes
Liquefied Petroleum Gas: 321,000 tonnes
Petroleum, asphalt, crude oil, coke

3. Technology and Modernization
Conversion depth: approximately 72%; light oil yield: 68%
Modernization Plan: KMG has invested US$3 billion to expand capacity to 9 million tonnes per year and has already commissioned a new hydrocracking unit.

Features: Kazakhstan’s only large-scale road asphalt production base

4. Latest R&D

Rumors of privatization: The Kazakh government is considering selling a portion of its state-owned shares by the end of 2025 to attract strategic investors.

Northern Sea Route: Products are transported via the Pavlodar–Russian Railway to Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

III. Atyrau Refinery—The oldest refinery in the country and the cornerstone of its petrochemical industry.

1. Company Profile

Commissioning date: 1945 (the first oil refinery in Kazakhstan during World War II)

Location: Atyrau, western Kazakhstan (on the Caspian Sea coast)

Equity: 99% wholly owned by KMG

Production Capacity: 5.5 Million Tons… A Detailed Profile of the Top Ten Refining Enterprises (20,000 Words)
Detailed Profiles of Kazakhstan’s Top Ten Refining Enterprises (Latest Data as of 2026)
As the largest oil producer in Central Asia, Kazakhstan is projected to exceed 90 million tonnes of crude oil output by 2025; however, its domestic refining industry currently exhibits a structure characterized by “three major state-owned large-scale refineries, a cohort of small and medium-sized state-owned refineries specializing in deep processing, complementary private-sector refineries, and closely coordinated petrochemical support enterprises.” At present, Kazakhstan operates 12 large-scale refineries with a combined annual processing capacity of approximately 18.5 million tonnes. In 2025, actual crude oil throughput is expected to reach 17.46 million tonnes, while refined-product output will total 14.55 million tonnes, essentially achieving domestic self-sufficiency and maintaining only modest export volumes. The following section provides a detailed overview of Kazakhstan’s top ten refining companies, ranked according to processing capacity, market share, industry influence, and asset size. The review covers basic company information, equity structure, plant layout, production scale, product mix, process technology features, market position, and the latest R&D developments for the 2025–2026 period.

I. Shymkent Refinery (Limited Liability Company) – a leading Sino-Kazakh joint venture in the refining and petrochemical sectors (ranked No. 1 in China)

1. Company Overview
Establishment and Operations: Founded in 1985 during the Soviet era, it was restructured in 2006 as a joint venture between Kazakhstan’s National Oil and Gas Company (KMG) and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).

Headquarters/Location: Shymkent, Turkestan Region, southern Kazakhstan (a transportation hub in South Central Asia, bordering Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan).

Equity Structure: Kazakhstan National Oil and Gas Company (KMG) holds a 50% stake, and China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) holds a 50% stake.

Industry Position: Kazakhstan’s largest oil refinery and the undisputed leader in the country’s refining and petrochemical industries, with a refining capacity accounting for 32.4% of the national total and crude oil processing volume representing 35% of the national total.

Number of employees: approximately 3,800

Key Achievements: Kazakhstan’s first refinery producing finished petroleum products that fully complies with Euro VI standards, expected to obtain the relevant certification in 2025. “Kazakhstan’s Best Oil Producer.”

Key indicators for 2025: crude oil processing capacity will reach 6.23 million tonnes per year (a 4% increase over the design capacity), with a light oil yield of 82% (the highest in the country), producing 2.28 million tonnes of gasoline, 2.10 million tonnes of diesel, 319,000 tonnes of aviation kerosene, and 335,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas.

2. Configuration of Oil Refining Units and Processes

Design capacity: 6 million tonnes per year (the atmospheric distillation unit has a capacity of 6 million tonnes per year).

Process Units: three atmospheric distillation units, two catalytic cracking units (with a combined processing capacity of 2.4 million tonnes per year), two hydrotreating units, one catalytic reforming unit, one gas fractionation unit, and one sulfur recovery unit.

Processing depth: 91% (second highest nationwide); light oil yield: 82% (highest nationwide).
Technology source: Fully imported mature process technology from China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC); major equipment manufactured by CNPC and China Petroleum Engineering & Construction Corporation (CPECC).
Environmental protection standards: sulfur recovery rate of 99.8%, 100% compliance with wastewater treatment standards, and flue gas emissions in accordance with the EU Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) standards.

3. Product Structure and Market Coverage
Main Products (2025):
Gasoline: Includes 92-octane, 95-octane, and 98-octane grades (Euro V standard), accounting for 42% of Kazakhstan’s total gasoline production.
Diesel: Ultra-low-sulfur diesel (sulfur content below 10 ppm), accounting for 36% of Kazakhstan’s total diesel production.
Aviation fuels: TS-1 and Jet A-1, supplied to the civil aviation markets in southern Kazakhstan and several Central Asian countries.
Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): a fuel for both domestic and industrial use, exported to Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
By-products: sulfur, petroleum coke, and asphalt.
Market Structure:
Domestic market: Covers 14 regions in southern and central Kazakhstan, capturing a significant 75% share of the southern market.
Exports: Exported via road and rail to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, with annual export volumes exceeding 800,000 metric tons.

4. Key Advantages and Strategic Value
A Model of China–Kazakhstan Cooperation: As a benchmark for mixed-ownership enterprises, it boasts the highest management efficiency and profitability among Kazakhstan’s refineries, with net profits reaching US$320 million in 2025.
Regional Monopoly: Controlling the refined oil market in southern Central Asia is a key hub for energy cooperation under the China–Central Asia Economic Corridor framework.
Raw Material Supply Assurance: The refinery processes 100% of crude oil sourced from the Tengiz and Karachaganak fields in western Kazakhstan, which is directly transported via the Trans-Caspian Pipeline, thereby reducing raw material costs by 12% to 15%.

Expansion Plan: It is proposed to launch the “6+6” expansion project in February 2026, with a total investment of USD 4.5 billion, aimed at doubling annual capacity from 6 million tonnes to 12 million tonnes. The project is expected to be completed and commissioned in 2032, at which time new hydrocracking units and aromatics production units will be added, and product upgrades will be implemented to meet Euro VI emission standards.

5. The latest R&D in 2026

Planned Major Overhaul: A comprehensive major overhaul conducted every four years will be carried out from March 27 to April 20, 2026, during which a 24-day shutdown for maintenance is scheduled. This overhaul will involve inspection and testing of 573 pressure-containing equipment units and 170 process pipelines. Kazakhstan will draw on its refined oil reserves to ensure the supply of necessary materials.

Digital Transformation: Construction of a “smart” refinery will commence in 2026, at which time the China National Petroleum Corporation’s digital control system will be implemented. Full automation and visualization of the entire process flow are expected to be achieved by 2028.

Expanding Exports: New channels will be established for exporting petroleum products to Afghanistan. Starting in May 2026, 150,000 tonnes of diesel fuel will be delivered to Afghanistan annually via the Vakhiyugula border crossing.

II. Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant (Pavlodar Petrochemical Plant Joint-Stock Company) – a leading state-owned refining enterprise in Northeast China and the second-largest of its kind in the region.

1. Company Overview

Commissioning date: 1978 (a key industrial project during the Soviet era)
Geographical Location: Pavlodar, northeastern Kazakhstan (adjacent to the Siberian region of Russia and situated along the Irtysh River)
Equity Structure: 100% owned by Kazakhstan National Oil and Gas Company (KMG).
Industry Position: Kazakhstan’s second-largest refinery, located in the northeastern core of the country’s refining and petrochemical industry, accounting for 29.7% of the nation’s total refining capacity and 30% of the nation’s total crude oil processing volume.
Number of employees: approximately 4,200
2025 Operating Performance: Crude oil throughput reached 5.76 million tonnes, a 5% increase over design capacity; light oil yield was 74.3%; crude oil conversion depth stood at 94%, the highest level nationwide; total production included 1.70 million tonnes of gasoline, 2.12 million tonnes of diesel, 236,000 tonnes of jet fuel, and 321,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas.

2. Oil Refining Capacity and Technical Specifications
Design capacity: 5.5 million tonnes per year (the atmospheric distillation unit has a capacity of 5.5 million tonnes per year).
Process Units: Four atmospheric distillation units, one large catalytic cracking unit (with an annual processing capacity of 200,000 tonnes), two hydrotreating units, one delayed coking unit, one lubricant base oil production unit, and two sulfur recovery units.
Processing depth: 94% (ranked first nationwide); light oil yield: 74.3%.
Technical Features: This is the only refinery in Kazakhstan equipped with large-scale delayed coking and lubricant base oil production units, capable of processing high-sulfur, heavy crude oil.
Modernization Journey: Between 2010 and 2020, the company invested a total of US$2.2 billion in modernization, during which it phased out aging Soviet-era equipment and commissioned a number of new deep-processing units, increasing the processing depth from 68% to 94%.

3. Product Structure and Market Coverage
Main Products (2025):
Diesel: 2.12 million tonnes (the largest diesel producer in Kazakhstan, accounting for 37% of the national market share), with products meeting Euro V standards—ultra-low-sulfur diesel—primarily supplied to Siberia, Northeastern Siberia, and Southern Siberia in Russia.
Gasoline: 1.7 million tonnes (primarily 92- and 95-grade motor gasoline), accounting for 28% of the national market.
Aviation fuel: supplied to civil and military airports in northeastern Kazakhstan.
Road asphalt: annual production capacity of 60,000 to 100,000 tonnes (Kazakhstan’s sole large-scale asphalt production base), supporting the national “Bright Path” infrastructure initiative.

Lubricant base oils: Group I and Group II base oils, with an annual production capacity of 150,000 tonnes, supplying the lubricant markets in Kazakhstan and Russia.
By-products: petroleum coke, sulfur, and heavy oil.
Market Structure:
Domestic Market: Covers five regions in northern and northeastern Kazakhstan, accounting for 68% of the northern market share.
Exports: Through the Trans-Siberian Railway, exports are shipped to Omsk Oblast and Novosibirsk Oblast in Russia, with annual export volumes exceeding 500,000 tonnes.

4. Key Advantages and Challenges
Maze-like layout: Proximity to Russia and shared access to Siberian oil resources and oil markets, thereby achieving lower logistics costs.
Technological Leadership: Boasting the nation’s most robust deep-processing capacity and rigorously prohibiting the use of substandard heavy oil, we deliver high-quality products.
Raw Material Safety: Processing West Siberian and North Kazakh crude oil transported via the Atyrau–Pavlodar Pipeline.

Issue: Equipment aging (with some units having been in operation for over 40 years); a new round of modernization is scheduled to commence in 2026; EU sanctions will impact the supply of certain imported spare parts.

Expansion Plan: From 2025 to 2030, USD 3 billion will be invested to increase capacity to 9 million tonnes per year, including the addition of a 3-million-tonne-per-year hydrocracking unit and an aromatics production unit, thereby raising the light oil yield to 80%.

5. The Latest Events of 2026

Controversy surrounding privatization: At the end of 2025, Kazakhstan’s Competition Authority proposed selling a 50% stake to attract strategic investors. However, in December 2025, the Minister of Energy flatly denied this, stating that the three major state-owned refineries would not be privatized and that the state would retain absolute control.

Optimizing raw material resources: Starting in 2026, Kazakhstan will increase the share of domestically processed crude oil from 30% to 60%, thereby reducing its reliance on Russian crude.

Environmental Upgrade and Modernization: A US$180 million investment will be made to construct a carbon capture and storage (CCS) system, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2027 and is expected to reduce annual CO2 emissions by 300,000 tonnes.

III. Atyrau Refinery (Atyrau Refinery JSC) – the oldest refinery (petrochemical hub) in the Western Region

1. Company Overview
Commissioning date: 1945 (the first and oldest oil refinery in Kazakhstan during World War II)
Geographical Location: Atyrau, western Kazakhstan (on the Caspian Sea coast, the cradle of Kazakhstan’s oil industry, adjacent to the Tengiz and Kashagan oilfields)
Equity Structure: 99% held by Kazakhstan National Oil and Gas Company (KMG), and 1% held by employees.
Industry Position: The third-largest refinery in China and a core enterprise in the western refining and petrochemical industry, accounting for 29.7% of the nation’s total refining capacity and 28% of the nation’s total refined oil output.
Number of employees: approximately 4,500
2025 Operating Performance: Crude oil throughput of 5.47 million tonnes, light oil yield of 77%, crude oil conversion depth of 88%, and production of 1.80 million tonnes of gasoline, 1.90 million tonnes of diesel, 285,000 tonnes of jet fuel, and 302,000 tonnes of liquefied petroleum gas.

2. Configuration of Oil Refining Units and Processes
Design capacity: 5.5 million tonnes per year; atmospheric distillation annual capacity: 5.5 million tonnes

(tons/year)

Process Units: five atmospheric distillation units, one catalytic cracking unit with an annual capacity of 1.8 million tonnes, two hydrotreating units, one catalytic reforming unit, one naphtha pyrolysis unit, and three sulfur recovery units.

Conversion: 88%, Light Oil Yield: 77%

Technical specifications: Kazakhstan’s only refinery with naphtha cracking and petrochemical feedstock production capabilities, supplying ethylene and propylene to the Atyrau Petrochemical Complex.

Modernization and Upgrading: From 2015 to 2024, a total of US$2.5 billion was invested in modernization and upgrading projects, including the construction of two new hydrotreating units, the comprehensive phase-out of outdated production capacity, and the production of products that meet Euro V emission standards.

3. Product Structure and Market Coverage

Main Products (2025):

Gasoline: 1.8 million tonnes (40% of which is 95- or 98-octane gasoline), (the primary supplier of high-octane gasoline in Kazakhstan)

Diesel: 1.9 million tonnes (compliant with the ultra-low-sulfur Euro V standard), accounting for a significant share of the national total output (33%).
Aviation Kerosene: Supply to Civil and Military Airports in Western Kazakhstan and the Caspian Region
Petrochemical feedstocks: ethylene, propylene, benzene, and toluene, with an annual capacity of 450,000 tonnes, supplied to the Atyrau IPCI polypropylene production project.
By-products: sulfur (Kazakhstan’s largest sulfur producer, with an annual capacity of 800,000 tonnes), petroleum coke, and asphalt.
Market Structure:
Domestic market: Covers eight regions in western and southern Kazakhstan, accounting for 70% of the western market share.
Exports: Through the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan and Iran, and by rail to Russia and Europe, with annual export volumes exceeding 700,000 tonnes.

4. Key Advantages and Strategic Positioning
Resource Center: Located in Kazakhstan’s key oil-producing region, adjacent to the Tengiz Field—the world’s second-largest oil field—and the Kashagan Field—the largest oil field in the Caspian Sea region—this facility achieves 100% self-sufficiency in feedstock and boasts the lowest operating costs.
Petrochemical Synergy: The core enterprise within the Atyrau Special Economic Zone’s Chemical Industry Park is concurrently advancing the IPCI polypropylene project (with an annual capacity of 500,000 tonnes) and the Silleno polyethylene project (with an annual capacity of 1.25 million tonnes), with the aim of establishing an integrated refining–petrochemical–chemical production base.

Export Hub: A large oil-export facility located on the Caspian Sea coast, enabling diversified export routes via the Caspian Sea–Black Sea–Europe corridor.

Expansion Plan: From 2025 to 2028, an investment of USD 1.8 billion will be made to increase capacity to 6.7 million tonnes per year, add a hydrocracking unit, and raise the processing depth to 93%.

5. The latest R&D in 2026

Integrated Project: The expansion of the Atyrau Integrated Refining and Petrochemical Complex is scheduled to commence in April 2026 to support the Sileno polyethylene production project (with KMG holding a 40% stake, Sinopec 30%, and SIBUR 30%), which will include the addition of an ethane cracker and is expected to come on stream in 2029.

Addressing Sanctions: Accelerate equipment localization and collaborate with Sinopec and Lukoil to promote alternative technologies, aiming to achieve a 65% localization rate for spare parts by 2026.

Export Breakthrough: In 2026, the company will export 85,000 tonnes of diesel to Hungary for the first time, opening up a new market in the European Union.

IV. Petro Kazakhstan (PK) – A China-Based Full-Industry-Chain Enterprise

1. Company Overview

Established in 1996 as a subsidiary of Canadian Oil in Kazakhstan, it was fully acquired by China National Petroleum Corporation in 2005 for US$4.18 billion, making it the largest energy-sector M&A deal in Central Asia.

Headquarters: Almaty, Kazakhstan

Equity Structure: Wholly owned by China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) through China National Oil Corporation International Development Co., Ltd. (CNODC).

Industry Position: The world’s fourth-largest refining and petrochemical company and Kazakhstan’s largest integrated private oil and gas firm, with crude oil production accounting for 8% of the country’s total output and refining and petrochemical capacity representing 5.4% of the national total.

Number of employees: approximately 4,200 (including about 800 in the refining and petrochemical industries).

Main Business: Integrated Operations in the Oil and Gas Industry 1. Refining Complex: Kumkol Refinery

Geographic Location: Kumkol, Kyzylorda Region, South Kazakhstan (adjacent to the major oil-producing PK)

Commissioning date: 2008 (the only newly built private refinery in Kazakhstan in nearly 30 years)
Design capacity: 1 million tonnes per year (the atmospheric distillation unit has a capacity of 1 million tonnes per year).
Process Units: 1 atmospheric distillation unit, 1 hydrotreating unit, 1 catalytic reforming unit, and 1 gas fractionation unit.
Conversion depth: 85%; light oil yield: 78%
Feedstock: 100% refined crude oil from the Kuhne-Kulle Oilfield (light, low-sulfur)

3. Product Structure and Market
Main products: 92-octane/95-octane motor gasoline (Euro V standard), ultra-low-sulfur diesel, liquefied petroleum gas, aviation kerosene, and sulfur.
Market Coverage: Supplies are delivered to the Kyzylorda Region and South Kazakhstan Region in southern Kazakhstan, capturing a 35% regional market share; small-scale exports are also made to Uzbekistan.

2025 Performance: Crude oil throughput of 1.02 million tonnes, gasoline production of 380,000 tonnes, diesel production of 420,000 tonnes, and net profit of US$42 million.

4. Key Advantages and Latest R&D

A complete industrial chain: extraction (Kunkule Oilfield, with an annual crude oil output of 1.8 million tonnes) — refining — and integrated sales, ensuring self-sufficiency in raw materials and controllable costs.

Advanced Technology: Designed and constructed in accordance with Chinese standards, featuring a high degree of digitalization and processing costs 18% lower than those of state-owned refineries.

Expansion Plan: Between 2026 and 2028, a US$350 million investment will be made to increase capacity to 2 million tonnes per year and to add a catalytic cracking unit for the production of high-octane gasoline and specialty diesel.

Sales Network: Operates 120 gas stations in Kazakhstan, with the “PetroKazakhstan” brand covering five southern provinces.

“V. Birlik-Energo” Limited Liability Company—a private refining giant and a leading enterprise in central and western Kazakhstan

1. Company Overview

Founded in 2003 (Kazakhstan Private Oil Group)

Headquarters: Aktobe, Kazakhstan (the industrial hub of central and western Kazakhstan)

Equity Structure: The company is a holding entity wholly owned (100%) by Kazakhstani investors, specifically the family of founder Bakytzhan Sagintayev.
Industry Position: The fifth-largest refining and petrochemical company globally and the largest privately owned refiner, with refining and petrochemical capacity accounting for 4.9% of the national total and oil and natural gas transportation volume representing 56% of the national total.
Number of employees: approximately 2,800 (about 1,200 of whom work in the refining and chemical sectors).
Core business: integrated oil and gas exploration, refining and processing, refined oil pipeline transportation, and sales.

2. Major Refining Asset: Aktyubinsk Refinery
Location: Aktobe Region, west-central Kazakhstan
Commissioning date: 2011 (Kazakhstan’s most recently built large-scale private refinery).
Design capacity: 900,000 tonnes per year (with the atmospheric distillation unit having a capacity of 900,000 tonnes per year).
Process units: one atmospheric distillation unit, one hydrotreating unit, one catalytic reforming unit, and one delayed coking unit.
Conversion depth: 89%; light oil yield: 76%.
Feedstock: Processable crude oil from Western Siberia and central-western Kazakhstan.

3. Products and Market
Products: Motor gasoline (92 and 95 octane), ultra-low-sulfur diesel, liquefied petroleum gas, fuel oil, and asphalt.

Market: Covers three regions in central and western Kazakhstan, with a 40% regional market share; small-scale exports to Orenburg Oblast in Russia.

2025 Operating Performance: Crude oil throughput of 920,000 tonnes, gasoline production of 340,000 tonnes, diesel production of 380,000 tonnes, and net profit of US$38 million.

4. Key Advantages

Transportation Monopoly: Operates 56% of Kazakhstan’s trunk oil pipelines and controls critical crude oil logistics in central and western Kazakhstan.

Agile management: Enables efficient decision-making within a privatized system, allowing for rapid adjustments to the product mix in response to market fluctuations.

In-depth regional development: Achieving a monopolistic position in the central and western markets while maintaining close collaboration with local governments and enterprises.

Latest update: In 2026, a project to expand annual production capacity will be launched with an investment of US$220 million, adding 600,000 tonnes of capacity. Total capacity is expected to reach 1.5 million tonnes per year by 2029.

VI. Petro Resources LLP (PRK) of Kazakhstan – a world-class private refinery and a pioneer in Euro VI standards

1. Company Overview

Established in 2012 (Kazakhstan’s first modern refinery entirely built and operated by a private enterprise).

Headquarters: Karaganda, Karaganda Region, Kazakhstan (Central Industrial Hub)

Equity Structure: 100% owned by the Kazakhstan Direct Investment Fund

Industry Position: The sixth-largest refining and petrochemical enterprise in China, a benchmark for high-quality fuel production, with a capacity accounting for 4.1% of the national total and having pioneered large-scale production that meets Euro VI standards.

Number of employees: approximately 750

Primary area of expertise: producing high-quality, high-value-added petroleum products for the premium market.

2. Main Parameters of an Oil Refinery

Design capacity: 750,000 tonnes/year (ambient-temperature distillation capacity), 750,000 tonnes/year

Process Configuration: Full-Process Deep-Processing Unit (Atmospheric Distillation, Hydrocracking, Hydrotreating, Catalytic Reforming, Isomerization)

Processing depth: 96% (second highest nationwide, behind only Pavlodar); light oil yield: 85%.

Technical Standards: Adopts the latest EU refining technology, fully complies with the Euro VI emission standards since 2019, and features a sulfur content of less than 5 ppm.

Feedstock: Processed low-sulfur crude oil from central Kazakhstan

3. Products and Market

High-end products: ultra-high-octane AI-98/100 gasoline, ultra-low-sulfur Euro VI–compliant diesel, Jet A-1 aviation kerosene, and specialty solvents.

Market: Supplying the high-end market in central Kazakhstan—including industrial, mining, and premium automotive manufacturers—as well as Almaty, which accounts for 35% of the high-quality crude oil market share.

2025 Operating Performance: Crude oil processing volume reached 760,000 tonnes, with gasoline output of 280,000 tonnes and diesel output of 320,000 tonnes, generating a net profit of US$45 million—the highest profit margin nationwide.

4. Key Advantages

Technological Leadership: Kazakhstan’s only manufacturer of a full range of petroleum products that meet Euro VI standards and command a 10% to 15% premium.

Efficient Operations: Digitized and intelligent refineries achieve per-capita capacity 2.3 times that of state-owned refineries, while reducing processing costs by 22%.

Latest developments: In 2026, the Kazakh government awarded the refinery the title of “Green Refining Demonstration Enterprise” and invested US$120 million in the construction of a photovoltaic power plant, which is expected to reach full-capacity generation by 2028—100% green electricity.
VII. Alan Petroleum and Natural Gas LLC – a small to medium-sized refining enterprise located in central and western Kazakhstan
1. Company Overview
Founded in 2005 (a mid-sized oil and gas company headquartered in Kazakhstan)
Headquarters: Uralsk, West Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan
Equity Structure: 60% is held by Kazakh investors, and 40% is owned by Rosneft.
Industry Position: The seventh-largest refiner in Kazakhstan, accounting for 2.7% of the country’s total refining capacity and serving as a key supplement to the central and western regions.
Number of employees: approximately 520
Principal business activities: oil and gas exploration, small-scale refining, and wholesale of refined petroleum products.
2. Oil Refining Assets: Ural Oil Refinery
Location: Uralsk, western Kazakhstan (bordering Russia)
Commissioning date: 2010 (converted from a small Soviet-era refinery)
Design capacity: 500,000 tonnes per year; annual process cycle; process units include atmospheric distillation, hydrotreating, and catalytic reforming. Conversion rate: 82%; light oil yield: 72%. Feedstock: West Siberian crude oil and West Kazakhstan crude oil. 3. Products and sales markets. Products: No. 92 gasoline, diesel fuel, liquefied petroleum gas, and fuel oil. Sales markets: Supply to West Kazakhstan Region and North Atyrau Region, with a regional market share of 25%; small volumes exported to Russia. 2025 targets: Crude oil processing volume of 510,000 tonnes, production of 180,000 tonnes of gasoline and 220,000 tonnes of diesel, and net profit of US$18 million. 4. Key features. Russian–Kazakh cooperation: Leveraging raw material supply and technical support from Rosneft to ensure stable operations. Filling a regional gap: Addressing the insufficient service coverage of large refineries by serving remote areas. Recent developments: In 2026, a cooperation agreement was reached with Russia’s Lukoil, involving an investment of US$80 million for technological upgrades; capacity is expected to increase to 800,000 tonnes per year by 2027. VIII. Limited Liability Company “Caspian Asphalt” – a specialized asphalt refinery “Caspian Asphalt” 1. Company overview

Established in 2008: a specialized refining and chemical enterprise focused on asphalt production.
Headquarters: Aktau, Mangystau Region, Kazakhstan (a port city on the Caspian Sea)
Equity Structure: KazAvtoZhol, the Kazakh national road operator, holds a controlling stake of 70%, while KazMunayGas, the Kazakh national oil and gas company, holds a minority stake of 30%.
Industry Position: The eighth-largest refining and petrochemical enterprise in Kazakhstan and the country’s sole specialized asphalt-processing facility, with a capacity accounting for 2.4% of the national total.
Number of employees: approximately 480
Main Position: Supplying Road Asphalt for Kazakhstan’s “Bright Path” Infrastructure Project

2. Main Parameters of an Oil Refinery

Design capacity: 450,000 tonnes per year (crude oil processing capacity: 450,000 tonnes per year)
Process features: Primarily employs vacuum distillation and oxidative upgrading, with a focus on producing high-quality road asphalt.
Products: Grade 70, Grade 90, and Grade 110 road asphalt (compliant with GOST and ASTM standards), with an annual production capacity of 400,000 metric tons.
Feedstock: Processed heavy crude oil from western Kazakhstan (with a high asphalt content).

3. Market and Value

Market Position: As the exclusive supplier for Kazakhstan’s national road and railway infrastructure projects, the company holds an 85% share of the country’s road asphalt market.

Geographical Location: Located near the port of Aktau on the Caspian Sea coast, asphalt is supplied by sea to infrastructure projects in western and southern Kazakhstan.

2025 Operating Results: Crude oil processing volume reached 440,000 tonnes, asphalt production totaled 390,000 tonnes, and net profit amounted to US$21 million.

Latest update: In 2026, a project to expand annual production capacity by 300,000 tonnes will be launched, with a total investment of US$150 million. By 2028, total capacity is expected to reach 750,000 tonnes per year, thereby meeting infrastructure demand in Central Asia.

IX. Kaz Petrochemical Co., Ltd.—a petrochemical enterprise that supports oil refining

1. Company Overview

Established in 2013 (a Kazakhstani company supporting the petrochemical industry)

Headquarters: Atyrau, Kazakhstan (Atyrau Special Economic Zone)

Equity Structure: Kazakhstani Chemical Company (60%), SIBUR (Russia) (40%)

Industry Position: Ranked ninth globally among refining and petrochemical companies, a specialized supplier of petrochemical feedstocks, accounting for 2.2% of national production capacity.

Number of employees: approximately 450

Main business: processing naphtha and condensate at refineries, as well as producing petrochemical feedstocks such as ethylene, propylene, and aromatics.

2. Oil Refining Capacity

Design capacity: 400,000 tonnes per year (condensate/naphtha processing)

Process Units: Naphtha Fractionation, Hydroprocessing, and Aromatics Extraction Unit

Products: benzene, toluene, xylene, and light naphtha (ethylene feedstock), with an annual production capacity of 350,000 tonnes.

Raw materials: Naphtha and condensate are both sourced from the Atyrau Refinery and the Shymkent Refinery.

3. Market and Synergy

Market: As the exclusive supplier for IPCI’s polypropylene project in Atyrau and its polyethylene project in Seleno, the company holds a 25% share of Kazakhstan’s petrochemical feedstock market. Synergies: Through deep integration with KMG and Sibur, the company has established a fully integrated “refining–petrochemical–plastics” value chain.
2025 Targets: Raw material processing volume of 390,000 tonnes, aromatic hydrocarbon output of 280,000 tonnes, net profit…

US$16 million
Latest update: In 2026, US$180 million will be invested to expand the “Silenus” project and construct a new pyrolysis unit, with projected annual capacity reaching 800,000 tonnes by 2029.
X. The Tengri Chevron Oil (TCO) affiliated refinery—a mega-scale oilfield enterprise that supports the refining and petrochemical industries.
1. Company Overview
Company Information: Tengizchevroil (TCO) is Kazakhstan’s largest oilfield operator, with the Tengiz oilfield producing 35 million tonnes of crude oil annually. Its shareholders are Chevron (50%), ExxonMobil (25%), Kazakhstan’s national oil and gas company KMG (20%), and Lukoil (5%).
Position in the Refining and Chemical Industry: As the tenth-largest refining and chemical enterprise, this company is a small-scale refinery affiliated with a large oil production enterprise. It does not have independent legal person status and operates within the refined oil processing and sales segment.

Production Capacity: 300,000 tonnes per year (condensate and associated crude oil processing)
Primary functions: Supplying fuel and petroleum products to meet the in-house oil consumption needs of the Tenggeri Oilfield Operating Area and Atyrau Region.

2. Equipment and Products

Process flow: Simple atmospheric distillation and hydrotreating unit

Products: diesel, gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas, and heavy fuel oil—all used for internal corporate consumption and supplied to various oilfield operating areas.

Significance: To ensure the exploitation and development of large oilfields and reduce dependence on imported petroleum products.

Latest development: In 2026, TCO will invest US$50 million to upgrade and modernize the refinery, increasing its annual capacity to 500,000 tonnes and adding new jet fuel production capabilities.

Overall Structure and Development Trends of Kazakhstan’s Refining Industry (2026)

1. Market Structure: Highly Monopolized, State-Dominated

Concentration: The three major state-owned and joint-venture enterprises—Shymkent, Pavlodar, and Atyrau—account for 91.8% of the country’s oil and gas production capacity, with Kazakhstan National Oil and Gas Company directly or indirectly controlling 68% of that capacity, thereby creating a structure characterized by “a single supermajor (KMG) operating alongside multiple players (Chinese-funded firms, private companies, and international oil companies).”

Ownership structure: State-owned (KMG Group) – 68%; Chinese financing (CNPC Group) – 18%; Private sector – 10%; International oil companies – 4%.

2. Technical Level: Rapid modernization, compliant with EU standards

Overall Progress: Between 2015 and 2026, cumulative investments exceeding US$12 billion were made in upgrading and modernizing refineries, increasing the national average crude oil processing depth from 72% to 90% and raising the light oil yield from 65% to 78%.

Standardization and Upgrading: All three major refineries have fully met the Euro V emission standards, and their refined oil quality control systems have already reached the Euro VI standard. By 2030, the entire industry will achieve an upgrade to the Euro VI+ standard.

Shortcomings: High-quality lubricants and specialized petrochemical products still rely on imports; the level of integrated refining operations remains low.

3. Supply, Demand, and Exports: Self-Sufficiency and Exports to Central Asia

Supply-Demand Balance: It is projected that in 2025, petroleum product output will reach 14.55 million tonnes, domestic consumption will be 13.80 million tonnes, and exports will amount to 750,000 tonnes, thereby achieving complete self-sufficiency while maintaining a small net export position.

Export orientation: shifting from Europe to Central Asia, Russia, Iran, and Afghanistan; by 2025, exports to Central Asia will account for 65% of total exports.

Long-term plan: By 2032, production capacity will be increased to 30 million tonnes, and by 2040 it is expected to reach [a certain level]; at that time, capacity could further expand to 40 million tonnes, thereby establishing Shymkent as the oil-export hub of Central Asia.

4. China–Kazakhstan Cooperation: Deep Integration and All-Round Engagement

Major projects include the Shymkent Refinery (a 50:50 joint venture), Xilunuo Polyethylene Co., Ltd. (in which Sinopec holds a 30% stake), and PC Refining Company (wholly owned by China National Petroleum Corporation).

Collaboration Model: Upgraded from “Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) + Equipment Supply” to “Equity Cooperation + Technology Transfer + Operations Management.”

Future development direction: The total investment in the three core projects—namely, the capacity expansion in Shymkent, the Atyrau integrated project, and the Pavlodar upgrade and modernization—exceeds US$10 billion, with Chinese investment accounting for more than 60% of the total.

5. Challenges and Opportunities

Challenges: International sanctions impacting the import of technology and equipment, aging infrastructure at some refineries, and intensifying regional competition (including Uzbekistan’s expansion of refining capacity).

Opportunities: economic integration in Central Asia, deepening energy cooperation between China and Central Asia, establishing a transport corridor via the Caspian Sea, and developing domestic infrastructure to boost oil demand.

The foregoing constitutes a comprehensive and detailed overview of Kazakhstan’s ten leading refining companies, covering each company’s basic information, equity structure, production capacity, product portfolio, process technologies, market conditions, and development plans through 2026, along with the most recent updates for the past year. For more in-depth reports on individual companies, refining process parameters, detailed information on China–Kazakhstan cooperation projects, and industry investment analyses, please contact us.