Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Jan. 18 / Trend D. Azizov /
Uznefteproduct Joint Stock Company has announced a tender to modernize existing capacities of two refineries and deliver oil products meeting "euro-3" requirements.
"Euro-3" petrol development is planned to be installed at the Bukhara and Fergana refineries - subsidiaries of the Uznefteproduct Joint Stock Company.
According to the competition, participants must propose ways of modernizing the two plants' operating technological installations and new schemes of getting highly-octane fuel. Results of the tender are planned to be summarized in the first quarter of 2010. Afterwards, a tender for the selection of general contractors will be announced.
The modernization operations are planned for 2011. The plants will be able to start the production of highly-octane petrol in 2012.
At the moment, three oil-processing plants - Bukhara, Fergana and Altiarik - deal with oil and gas condensate processing in Uzbekistan.
Bukhara's refinery produces high-quality petrol, air kerosene and diesel fuel. The processing capacity is 2.5 million tons of oil annually. The Fergana and Altiarik plants produce fuel-oil products. Their processing capacity is 5.5 million and 3.2 million tons of oil.
From Jan.1 the import of new and old buses and lorries with petrol and diesel engines is banned in Uzbekistan. The level of the vehicles' toxicity does not correspond with "euro-3" ecological requirements.
Uzbekneftegaz is a monopoly on the Uzbek oil and gas market. In Jan.-Sept. 2009, it reduced oil and gas production by 5.1 percent compared to the same period of 2009.
Petrol production increased 10.8 percent - up to 1.199 million tons, kerosene - 13.6 percent - up to 300,100 tons, diesel fuel - 4.6 percent - up to 991,700 tons, furnace black oil - 2 percent - up to 398,400 tons, hydrocarbon liquefied gas - 3.7 percent - up to 188,000 tons. Oil bitumen production reduced 7.3 percent - up to 174,500 tons.
Uzbekneftegaz reduced oil and gas condensate production by 2.5 percent - up to 4.808 million tons in 2008. Gas condensate production increased 17.1 percent - 2.256 million tons. Oil production reduced 15 percent - up to 2.552 million tons.