Bukhara Refinery Modernization: $328M Project and What It Means for Suppliers
Refining capacity at the Bukhara refinery will double to 5 million tons per year, boosting AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline output. Here's what procurement this will drive and how to prepare.
What happened
The Bukhara oil refinery in the Karaulbazar district will undergo a $328 million modernization. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev visited the plant on November 3 and reviewed the project, according to UzA and Kun.uz. Gazeta.uz reports that refining capacity will double from 2.5 million to 5 million tons per year, and output of Euro-5 AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline will increase. Daryo.uz confirms the same figures: 5 million tons per year and higher high-octane gasoline production.
Context matters for planning. Gazeta.uz notes that earlier estimates put modernization at $553 million, and the switch to high-octane gasoline was to be completed back in 2025. Now the sum is lower and the timeline has shifted. For contractors, this is a signal: the project is alive, but the budget and schedule will still be clarified, and early estimates should not be treated as final.
What it means for suppliers
Refinery modernization is not a single purchase but a long chain. The plant will buy equipment, pipes, valves, instrumentation, chemical reagents, workwear, installation and commissioning services, logistics, security, and catering for contractors. Some purchases will go through tenders, others through direct contracts with the general contractor.
Who should prepare first:
- equipment and machinery suppliers — pumps, compressors, heat exchangers, shut-off valves;
- chemical and household goods suppliers — reagents, catalysts, oils, PPE;
- construction and installation contractors — unit reconstruction, pipelines, metal structures;
- transport and logistics companies — moving oversized equipment;
- cleaning and security firms — site services during the works.
No official procurement dates have been announced. But the pattern in such projects is: design and selection of the general contractor first, then a wave of equipment and materials purchases. Prepare early, because submission windows for large industrial tenders are short.
As of November 4, 2026, TenderLabs data shows 908 lots open in Equipment and Machinery, 2,316 in Construction, 572 in Chemicals and Household Goods, and 828 in Energy. These are country-wide figures, not specific to this project, but they show where competition is higher and where to watch for new lots.
What to do now
- 1Assemble your document package in advance: digital signature, founding documents, certificates, proof of experience. On industrial tenders, without a ready package you simply won't make it in time.
- 2Check whether you have relevant experience — supplies to refineries, chemical plants, energy facilities. Prepare a short portfolio with similar projects.
- 3Set up procurement monitoring by keywords: "oil refining," "modernization," "Karaulbazar," "Bukhara refinery," equipment names. Turn on notifications.
- 4Identify likely general contractors and designers — they often buy from sub-suppliers directly, bypassing large tenders. Send them a commercial offer.
- 5Check your production capacity and delivery times. If the project starts, shipments will need to be fast, and queues at manufacturers form early.
The project is still at an early stage. TenderLabs can help you track new lots as they appear.
Photo: UzA