President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the Bukhara oil refinery in Qorovulbozor district on Tuesday and reviewed a $328 million project to modernize the plant, aimed at boosting high-octane gasoline output and raising processing capacity.
The project would add 2.5 million tonnes to the refinery’s annual capacity, bringing the total to 5 million tonnes, according to the report presented to the president.
New naphtha hydrotreating and isomerization units will be installed. Hydrotreating cuts sulfur and other impurities in the feedstock, while isomerization raises the octane rating of gasoline made from light fractions. The processes are key to increasing production of AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline meeting Euro-5 standards, the report said.
The plan also includes improvements to crude fractionation and deep processing of heavy residues. Higher volumes are expected to strengthen domestic supply and expand exports.
Mirziyoyev instructed officials to complete the work on schedule and to a high standard, to integrate the new units with existing production processes, and to ensure the plant’s stable operation. He also spoke with representatives of foreign companies involved in the project.
In the first nine months of this year, the refinery produced 1.36 million tonnes of petroleum products worth 12.1 trillion soums. Exports of goods and services reached $99.5 million, and the plant aims to raise that to $116 million by year-end.
