BISHKEK - Kyrgyzstan will invest $450 million in the construction of a new oil refinery, which should significantly reduce the country's dependence on imported fuels and lubricants. This was announced by First Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Daniyar Amangeldiev, Knews.kg reports.
The new, modern refinery will be built on the premises of Kyrgyzneftegaz OJSC. Its design capacity will be 450,000 tons of petroleum products per year, and commissioning is scheduled for 2027. According to Amangeldiev, the project will fully satisfy the domestic market with basic fuels and create a strategic fuel and lubricant reserve for up to 4.5 months.
Currently, Kyrgyzstan remains dependent on external supplies of petroleum products. The bulk of gasoline, diesel fuel, and other fuels and lubricants are imported from Russia, which provides the republic with duty-free supplies under intergovernmental agreements. According to various estimates, the share of imports in meeting domestic fuel and lubricants demand exceeds 80%.
The authorities are also continuing to develop their own oil refining industry. The idle Junda oil refinery was previously restored and now partially meets the domestic market's needs. At the same time, the republic is working to diversify its raw material supplies, exploring routes through the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor (TITC) involving Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan, and is also testing oil supplies from China.
The launch of the new refinery is expected to be one of the largest projects in Kyrgyzstan's oil refining industry and will improve the country's energy security.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
May 22, 2026