Kazakhstan to pass on Euro-5 fuel production by 2014 - Vice Minister of Oil and Gas

"Our experts were recommended to consider the opportunity of transition to Euro-5 fuel production within the reconstruction of the oil refineries. We are studying this issue currently", A. Magauov said.

Earlier, the authorities planned to modernize the oil processing plants stage-by-stage: to produce Euro-3 fuel by 2014 and Euro-4 one - by 2016.

"Transition to Euro-3 and Euro-4 standards is a very expensive process. Stage-by-stage modernization will requite more time and huge financial resources. Therefore we decided to pass on Euro-5 standard at once in order not to build new factories and not to purchase additional equipment. Today's technologies allow producing Euro-5 fuel at once", the Vice Minister clarified.

Alongside he noted that "following the reconstruction of three oil refineries, the volumes of oil processing must reach 17 mln tons per annum which must satisfy the country's demand in oil products. Currently we process about 13 mln tons of oil per year. All oil products must fully meet general standards after the plants' reconstruction".