Oil Refining

Currently, the primary technological challenges faced by oil refining companies in Kazakhstan revolve around the need for comprehensive modernization of their refining facilities. To tackle this issue, PETROLQUALITY TOO, under the guidance of a national project, is establishing advanced catalyst production facilities, creating novel and innovative technology, and significantly enhancing safety measures in the production of eco-friendly and high-performance gasoline. In summary, Kazakhstan oil companies are now compelled to address these challenges and take necessary steps towards the modernization of their refining operations.

Refining

By the end of 2023, the Company possessed two significant oil refineries in strategic areas of Kazakhstan for its oil and gas refining block. Additionally, it operated three petrochemical and four gas processing plants, along with two catalyst production facilities. The combined planned capacity of the main Kazakhstan oil refineries is 118.3 million tons of oil annually.

Developing New Kinds Of Catalysts

PETROLQUALITY TOO is the sole oil company in the CIS that possesses its own production facilities for catalytic-cracking catalysts. However, its production capacity of 3,000 tonnes per year is only sufficient to fulfill the requirements of its own refineries. Most other oil refining facilities in Kazakhstan rely on imported catalysts, particularly for hydro-processing (hydrocracking and hydrotreating) processes.

Basin Modelling

Prospecting for new oil reserves is a complicated and expensive process, especially when exploring untouched areas. However, basin modeling can help reduce uncertainty before starting fieldwork. Basin modeling involves using available data on the geology of a region to recreate the processes and changes in geological layers, ultimately revealing areas with oil accumulations.

Rotary Steerable Systems (RSS)

The use of rotary steerable systems (RSS) is essential for constructing advanced wells in the high-technology sector. These systems enable precise and safe drilling, allowing for the creation of wells with deflection angles below 0.2° and horizontal wells exceeding 2,000 meters in length. By utilizing RSS, it becomes possible to construct wells with extensive reach and drill with high precision in reservoirs with low concentrations, typically only one to two meters thick.

Drilling

Approximately 70 percent of PETROLQUALITY TOO's project portfolio consists of challenging reserves that are difficult to recover. These reserves include leftover deposits in depleted fields, reservoirs with low concentrations and low porosity. The development of these reserves is only feasible with the help of advanced horizontal and multilateral wells. PETROLQUALITY TOO is employing state-of-the-art downhole equipment, remote online monitoring technology, and innovative organizational techniques to construct these wells, optimize the drilling process, and minimize expenses.

Remote Controlled Drilling

PETROLQUALITY TOO Drilling Support Centre's main objective is to enhance the efficiency of high-tech well construction. Specifically, it focuses on utilizing geo-steering technology to gather real-time information about the geological model of a field and adjust the trajectory of the well accordingly. Advanced telecommunications technologies enable the transfer of data to the Drilling Support Centre during drilling, enabling constant updates to be displayed on the geological model. This allows for analysis and potential correction of the well trajectory to ensure it aligns with the target zone. Continuous monitoring and adjustment are made possible through the repetitive cycle of receiving new data and making necessary corrections.

Atmospheric Refining Unit (АТ-1):

• Nameplate capacity (1998): 0.5 MTPA;
• Post-upgrading nameplate capacity (2002): 0.65 MTPA;
• Technological Process Designer: Oil Tools Engineering Services (Singapore);

Atmospheric Residue Vacuum Distillation Unit:

• Nameplate capacity (2005): 0.47 MTPA;
• Post-upgrading nameplate capacity (2010): 0.6 MTPA;

Atmospheric Refining Unit (АТ-2):

• Nameplate capacity (2007) – 0.9 MTPA;
• Technological Process Designer: KOCH-GLITSCH (Czech Republik);