【Tour of Overseas Petrochemical Projects】Chimkent Refinery in Kazakhstan – A Key Project under China-Kazakhstan Capacity Cooperation for the Modernization of CNPC’s Facilities
Thread Content
On June 30, 2017, the 600,000-ton/year isomerization unit of Phase I of the modernization project for the Chimkent refinery in Kazakhstan produced gasoline that met the Euro IV and Euro V standards, marking the successful achievement of the renovation goals for this key project of capacity cooperation between China and Kazakhstan. The Chimkent refinery is operated jointly by CNPC and Kazakhstani **Oil and Gas Company. Located in Chimkent, the capital of South Kazakhstan Province at the intersection of the ancient Silk Road, it was established in the 1980s and is one of Kazakhstan’s three major refineries. The renovation project was launched in January 2014 and was carried out in two phases. The first phase aimed to produce vehicle fuels that met Euro IV and Euro V standards, by improving the processing processes, enhancing the ability to process sulfur-containing crude oil, eliminating potential risks related to environmental protection and long-term safe production, and facilitating product upgrades ； The second-phase renovation aims to restore the designed production capacity to 6 million tons per year, increase the level of processing, improve environmental standards, and upgrade some of the older utility systems.
@Zhizhe Ming @RedLee_ZZHI @rjs999 @Zhizhe Ming @rjs999 @gn_1984 @ylb913
Renovating and expanding refineries in the 1980s was still challenging. If it were in the domestic area, it might be rebuilt in another location.
This factory is in a special location, right on the border between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan; Tashkent is to the south
Chimkent is a municipal city located in southern Kazakhstan. It was once a station on the Silk Road, having witnessed the history of exchanges and friendly interactions between the people of China and Central Asia. Today, this ancient city has taken on a new look; a modern, environmentally friendly refinery jointly developed by China and Kazakhstan safeguards this beautiful spring scenery. The Chimkent refinery was established in the 1970s and is one of the three major refineries in Kazakhstan. However, in recent years, outdated production processes and old equipment have resulted in insufficient refining of crude oil, affecting the quality of the petroleum products. The southeastern region of Kazakhstan is a major consumer of refined oil products in the country, and the conflict between environmental protection requirements and consumer demands needs to be resolved urgently. Lush mountains and clear waters are equivalent to gold and silver. In February 2014, with the alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative and Kazakhstan’s new economic policy of the \"Road to Light,\" the modernization project for the Chimkent refinery was launched as a key cooperation project between China and Kazakhstan. It was undertaken by China National Petroleum Engineering Corporation and carried out in two phases. Sun Jian, the person in charge of health, safety, and environmental protection at the Chimkent Refinery renovation project team of China National Petroleum Engineering Corporation, explained that the renovation project adheres to an environment-friendly approach, regarding safety and environmental protection as its top priorities. Significant funds are invested in the treatment of wastewater and exhaust gases, and new energy-saving technologies are utilized to ensure that the entire construction process is green and environmentally sustainable. In June 2017, the first-phase heterogenization unit came online, significantly increasing the processing capacity of sulfur-containing crude oil at the Chimkent refinery. It was the first of Kazakhstan’s three refineries to complete the upgrade from Euro II standards to Euro IV and Euro V standards, thereby becoming a green and environmentally friendly refinery and putting an end to Kazakhstan’s history of being unable to produce high-octane fuels. The newly built catalytic cracking unit utilizes the world’s advanced Berg gas desulfurization technology ； The sulfur recovery unit employs the low-temperature Claus sulfur recovery process, which is owned by PetroChina as its own intellectual property. Just these two measures can reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 15,100 tons per year.