Uzbekneftegaz to announce tender for construction of oil shale plant

Uzbekistan started to drill oil shale at Sangruntau field in north Navoi region in March 2013.

Uzbekistan evaluated reserves at Baisun, Jam, Urtabulak, Sangruntau, Aktau, Uchkir and Kulbeshkak fields. Major part of oil shale is located at Kyzylkum desert and Baisun Mountains.

The source in the government said that the Government entrusted Uzbekneftegaz to work on announcement of tender by the end of August 2013. The source said that all tender documentations should be developed in October-November and the tender will be announced in the end of the year.

In the first stage (2014-2015) it is planned to construct a complex on processing 2 million tonnes of oil shale a year. In future (2015-2018), the capacities of the plant will be increased to 8 million tonnes of oil shale a year and produce 1 million tonnes of oil products a year.

In October 2012, Institute of Atomenergoproyekt completed development of pre-project on construction of oil processing plant at Sangruntau field. The project of shale oil processing plant envisages that eight firm heat medium facilities (UTT-3000) with the capacity of 8 million tonnes of oil shale a year.

The project cost is about US$600 million and it will be financed due to own resources of Uzbekneftegaz and loan of the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan, as well as foreign loans.

The perspective reserves of oil shale in Uzbekistan have been estimated at the volume of 47 billion tonnes. The reserves of Sangruntau field makes up 357 million tonnes.