Tag Archives: fuel

Fuel demand in Kazakhstan is outstripping supply

APRIL 19 2024 (The Bulletin) — Demand for refined fuel products in Kazakhstan is rising faster than production, the Kazakh energy ministry said. It said that consumption of petrol rose 4% over the past year as living standards rose and more cars used Kazakhstan’s roads. Kazakhstan has three refineries and the Kazakh energy ministry has said that it aims to increase production at them all.

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— This story was published in issue 565 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on April 23 2024

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Kazakhstan denies that the Kremlin has asked for emergency fuel supplies

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APRIL 9 2024 (The Bulletin) — Kazakhstan’s energy ministry denied a Reuters report that the Russian government had asked it to supply 100,000 tonnes of fuel to make up a shortfall triggered by Ukrainian drone attacks on refineries. Kazakhstan has imposed its own fuel export ban to meet growing domestic demand. This has forced up fuel price inflation in Tajikistan.

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— This story was published in issue 564 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on April 15 2024

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Uzbekneftegaz to launch gas-to-liquid plant this year

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JUNE 11 2021 (The Bulletin) — Uzbekneftegaz said that it would launch its first gas-to-liquids plant in Q4 2021. Opening the plant in the south of the country will reduce Uzbekistan’s reliance on imports of diesel and jet fuel. Uzbekneftegaz has been building the $3.6b plant since 2019. It was supposed to start operations in 2020 but the coronavirus pandemic and strikes over pay and conditions have delayed the construction.

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— This story was published in issue 48 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin, on June 16 2021

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2021

Socar opens more petrol stations in Azerbaijan

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MARCH 19 (The Bulletin) — Socar, the Azerbaijani state oil and gas company, said that it had opened its 31st petrol station in Azerbaijan. Trading under the Socar Petroleum brand, the petrol station will offer Euro-95 and A-92 quality fuels. Socar has been building up its network of petrol stations for some time. Socar Petroleum started operations in 2008.

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— This story was first published in issue 440 of the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin

— Copyright the Central Asia & South Caucasus Bulletin 2020

Turkmen diesel fuel reaches Russia, again

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DEC. 25 2019 (The Bulletin) — Diesel fuel produced by Turkmenistan was delivered to the Russian Caspian Sea port of Makhachkala for the first time since 2014, media reported. The consignment of 6,000 tonnes of fuel, which was unloaded and sent to customers via Russia’s railway network, is expected to be the start of a steady flow of diesel to Russia from Turkmenistan. Officials said that shipments were stopped in 2014 because of “technical” difficulties.

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— This story was first published in issue 433 of the weekly Bulletin on Jan. 13 2020

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Vitol will start exporting Turkmen diesal fuel this month

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DEC. 2 (The Bulletin) — Switzerland-based Vitol, the world’s biggest oil trader, will start exporting fuel and diesel from Turkmenistan this month, Reuters reported by quoting five unnamed traders. They said that Vitol had outbid Azerbaijan’s Socar for the contracts and that the oil products would be loaded onto ships at the Caspian Sea port of Turkmenbashi, then offloaded at Makhachkala in Russia before being sent by rail to the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiisk. Vitol already exports oil products from Kazakhstan. Turkmenistan wants to increase oil product exports.
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— This story was first published in issue 431 of the weekly Bulletin on Dec. 9 2019

Azerbaijan’s Socar wants Turkey petrol stations

JAN. 23 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — In an interview with the Turkish newspaper Sabah, Socar Turkey Energy director general Zaur Gahramanov said the company was committed to opening a chain of petrol stations throughout Turkey.

Socar is bidding to buy the 1,785 petrol stations belonging to Austria’s OMV in Turkey. Even if Socar’s bid fails it will look to buy up petrol stations in Turkey. Socar owns the Star Refinery in Izmir. The $6b refinery is due to start production in April 2018 and is Socar’s biggest overseas investment.

“The acquisition of OMV Petrol Ofisi is the most suitable option for Socar, but we have alternatives,” he said. “We can launch talks on the acquisition of another company or create a new network in Turkey.”

Socar owns a network of petrol stations in Georgia and has been looking to expand. The collapse in oil and gas prices since 2014 has forced Azerbaijan to change its focus to downstream products and services.

OMV bought the petrol stations between 2006 and 2010 for $2.5b. Aramco, Petromium-C consortium and Vitol are also bidding to buy the petrol station network.

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(News report from Issue No. 314, published on Jan. 27 2017)

Petrol prices rise in Azerbaijan

JAN. 13 2017 (The Conway Bulletin) — Azerbaijan’s state-owned oil and gas company, Socar, said that it was going to raise the price it charges consumers for high octane Super Euro 98 petrol to 1.05 manat per litre from 0.95 manat per litre. Azerbaijan imports Super Euro 98 petrol. The sliding value of the manat versus the US dollar means that the cost of imports has increased.

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(News report from Issue No. 313, published on Jan. 20 2017)

Azerbaijan’s energy company profits in Romania

JUNE 6 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) — Azerbaijan’s state-owned energy company SOCAR said its Romanian subsidiary SOCAR Petroleum made a profit in 2015 for the first time since 2011 despite a fall in revenues. SOCAR Petroleum owns several filling stations across Romania. Low oil prices reduced total revenue at SOCAR Petroleum but also gave it a higher profit margin on sales.

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(News report from Issue No. 284, published on June 10 2016)

Azerbaijan’s SOCAR plans expansion

APRIL 15 2016 (The Conway Bulletin) – Azerbaijan’s state-owned energy company SOCAR said it is eyeing expansion in both Ukraine and Turkey’s petrol distribution sector. This week, SOCAR said it is opening eight petrol station in Kiev. Last week SOCAR said it was in talks to buy OMV Petrol Ofisi, the Turkish subsidiary of Austria’s OMV.

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(News report from Issue No. 277, published on April 22 2016)