Bukhara Oil Refinery planned for $328 million modernisation

According to Gazeta.uz, $49 million of the project comes from the refinery's own funds, with another $279 million funded through foreign loans. Naphtha hydrotreating and isomerisation units are scheduled to be installed at the enterprise in the Karaulbazar district of Bukhara Region. The press service explained that they are required to ramp up production of AI-92 and AI-95 petrol meeting the Euro-5 environmental standard. The project also provides for updating the equipment that fractionates feedstock and performs deeper processing of heavy residues.

The president instructed officials to adhere to the project's deadlines and quality standards, ensure the compatibility of the new units with existing lines, and maintain the stable operation of the refinery during the upgrade. In addition, the head of state held a meeting with representatives of foreign companies involved in the project; it was not disclosed which companies these are. Completion deadlines for the modernisation and the contractors have not been named.

In January–September, the plant, which employs over 3,200 people, produced 1.36 million tonnes of oil products worth 12.1 trillion soums. Over the same period, the enterprise exported products and services worth $99.5 million and expects to reach $116 million by the end of the year.

The preparation of the project was previously discussed on October 27 at an Uzbekneftegaz press conference. Sukhrob Khamraev, first deputy chairman of the state-owned company's board, conceded at the time that works might start in the fourth quarter of 2026 or in 2027, with contractors selected through an open tender. The company expects the production cost and price of high-octane petrol to fall following the modernisation.