Refinery Operations

Kazakhstan's Refining Landscape

Kazakhstan is home to three major state-linked refineries — Atyrau, Pavlodar and Shymkent — with a combined capacity of approximately 17 million tonnes per year following the completion of a large-scale modernisation programme. Beyond these flagship facilities, independent operators like Kamenistoe-Neft play a vital role in the supplementary refining, blending and redistribution segment that serves mid-market and specialist buyers.

The government’s 2025–2040 Oil Refining Development Strategy aims to expand total national capacity to 40 million tonnes per year by 2040, with exports of petroleum products targeting 30% of total output. Kamenistoe-Neft is aligned with this national vision, positioning itself as a commercial bridge between production capacity and buyer demand.

Our Refining & Processing Approach

Kamenistoe-Neft operates a vertically-oriented supply model where crude feedstock is sourced from licensed upstream operators in Kazakhstan’s western producing regions, processed through partner refinery arrangements and quality-verified before distribution. This model enables us to maintain quality control at each stage of the supply chain without the capital-intensive overheads of maintaining an independent large-scale refinery — keeping our products competitively priced.

Crude Oil Feedstock Sources

  • Western Kazakhstan fields — Tengiz basin, Aktobe region, Mangistau region
  • Caspian shelf condensate — high-paraffinic grades suitable for white oil products
  • Associated gas condensate — processed into LPG and naphtha


Kazakhstan’s crude is predominantly sulphurous (sour) with API gravity ranging from 22 to 45 degrees depending on the field, providing an excellent feedstock for the full distillation product range.

Key Refinery Processes

Atmospheric Distillation

The primary separation stage, where crude oil is heated to approximately 350–400°C and separated by boiling point into fractions: LPG, naphtha, kerosene, gas oil (diesel) and atmospheric residue.

Vacuum Distillation

The atmospheric residue is further distilled under vacuum conditions to yield vacuum gas oil and vacuum residue (used in bitumen and Mazut production). This stage maximises the extraction of valuable middle distillate fractions.

Hydrotreating / Hydrodesulphurisation (HDS)

To produce Euro-5 grade diesel and aviation fuel, sulphur compounds are removed using hydrogen under pressure in the presence of a catalyst. This stage is essential for meeting the 10 mg/kg sulphur specification required for modern Euro-5 engine compatibility.

Blending & Quality Adjustment

Finished products are blended to achieve precise specification compliance — adjusting pour points, viscosity, flash points and additive levels according to client requirements or export destination standards.

Laboratory Quality Control

Every product batch is subjected to laboratory analysis at certified testing facilities before dispatch. Key parameters tested include sulphur content, flash point, density, viscosity, cetane number and water content. Test results accompany every shipment.

Logistics Infrastructure

  • Rail terminal access — Kazakhstan’s KTZ (Kazakhstan Temir Zholy) railway network
  • Road tanker dispatch — nationwide distribution to industrial customers
  • Pipeline nomination rights — access to KazTransOil pipeline network for bulk crude movements
  • Caspian Sea port access — Aktau and Kuryk ports for regional marine export
  • Cross-border rail routes — China, Russia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan connections