Here is update article on Kazakhstan’s largest oil refinery (Pavlodar) being sold to Russia’s TNK-BP. New ownership might see some investments (its on Kazakhstan Governments recent Integrated Oil Refinery Investment Plan for 2009-2015).
The refinery was built in 1978 and has a ~12MBD coking unit ~1986 vintage and I believe a calcining kiln. The steam reformer had couple FW Air Preheaters installed in 2005 so it is possible a coker revamp might have occurred during other Russian/former CIS coker project upgrades.
The refinery has had several labels: KazMunaiGas/Kazakh Oil/PNCHZ/JSC and state ownership has been transferred back & forth to several state groups as well – some of it get around US CCL Oil investment & 5 year lease/development of the plant.
The plant used run mostly on Russian Crude & even had close several months (Sep 1996-Apr 1997) when supply was cut off until LukOil supplied some cargoes. Pavlodar discovered nearby oil reserves in 1998 which now supply the refinery.
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