Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Bukhara Oil Refinery plans to increase its annual raw material processing capacity from 2.5 million to 5 million tonnes under a US$328 million modernisation project.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed preparations for the project during a visit to the enterprise in Karaulbazar District, Bukhara Region.
The Bukhara refinery is one of the country’s largest producers of petroleum products and employs more than 3,200 specialists.
From January to September 2026, the plant produced 1.36 million tonnes of petroleum products worth a total of 12.1 trillion soums. Exports of products and services amounted to US$99.5 million during the period. The enterprise expects to increase exports to US$116 million by the end of the year.
The main objective of the modernisation is to expand raw material processing and increase production of high-octane motor petrol. To achieve this, the refinery plans to install equipment for naphtha hydrotreating and isomerisation.
Hydrotreating will reduce the content of sulphur and other impurities in the feedstock, while isomerisation will increase the octane rating of petrol produced from light petroleum fractions. These technologies are needed to expand production of AI-92 and AI-95 petrol meeting the Euro-5 environmental standard.
The project also предусматривает upgrading processes for separating feedstock into fractions and increasing the depth of processing of heavy residues. Once all the planned measures are implemented, the refinery’s annual processing capacity will increase by a further 2.5 million tonnes to reach 5 million tonnes.
The expanded production capacity is expected to increase output of finished products, strengthen supplies to the domestic market and boost exports.
During his visit, Mirziyoyev instructed the refinery to meet the modernisation deadlines and quality requirements, ensure that the new equipment is compatible with existing production processes, and maintain stable operations during the upgrade.
The president also held talks with representatives of foreign companies involved in the project.
