Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekistan plans to invest US$292 million in expanding the Tekhnochem petrochemical cluster in Bukhara Region. The project will increase the facility’s annual raw material processing capacity by 400,000 tonnes and create 700 jobs.
The plans were announced during a visit to the enterprise by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, who reviewed the operations of the complex in Bukhara District, its production capacity and development plans.
Tekhnochem specialises in processing oil, gas condensate, naphtha, methanol and pyrolysis distillate. It is the only complex of its kind in Uzbekistan.
The enterprise occupies 69 hectares and employs around 500 people. Its existing facilities can process 100,000 tonnes of pyrolysis distillate and 160,000 tonnes of naphtha and gas condensate annually.
In addition to fuel, the cluster produces materials for the chemical industry. Its octane booster is used to improve petrol performance, while its solvents are used in the production of paints, varnishes, adhesives and household chemicals.
The next stage of the complex’s development is scheduled for completion by the end of 2028. The US$292 million investment project предусматривает the processing of gas condensate and naphtha, as well as the production of aromatic hydrocarbons and solvents. Once completed, the facility’s total annual processing capacity will increase by a further 400,000 tonnes.
The expansion will require additional skilled workers. Mirziyoyev stressed the need to strengthen links between the vocational education system and regional enterprises. The specialists in demand include process technicians, engineers, chemists and laboratory staff.
Under its export plans, Tekhnochem intends to supply around 180,000 tonnes of petrochemical products, motor petrol and diesel fuel annually to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and European Union countries.
The enterprise is also holding talks with foreign partners on a project to process 150,000 tonnes of liquefied gas between 2028 and 2030.
Following the visit, the president made recommendations on increasing the petrochemical cluster’s export potential and training specialists for its new production facilities.
