Bukhara Refinery to Expand for $1.8B: Capacity to Rise from 2.1 to 4.6 Million Tonnes
The Bukhara refinery expansion is worth $1.8B. Capacity will grow from 2.1 to 4.6 million tonnes, with Euro-5 gasoline from 2029. What suppliers should do now.
What happened
Uzbekistan plans to expand the Bukhara oil refinery. Capacity will rise from 2.1 to 4.6 million tonnes of feedstock a year. The project is valued at $1.8 billion. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was shown the plan on 12 November, as reported by UzA, Gazeta.uz and Spot.uz.
Construction is set to start in 2028. A new line making Euro-5 gasoline should launch in 2029. A separate $328 million project was also presented: it targets 1.1 million tonnes of AI-92 and AI-95 gasoline a year, according to Daryo.uz.
The context is simple. The plant is running near its current limit, and fuel demand inside the country keeps growing. So the state is going for a major upgrade, not patching old equipment. Companies from China, France, the US and Azerbaijan are involved, Gazeta.uz reports. Much of the work and supply will come through international partners, but it will be built on site here.
What it means for suppliers
For you, this is not a story about oil. It is a story about construction and supply. A refinery expansion means earthworks, steel structures, pipelines, pumps and heat exchangers, instrumentation, electrical work, cable, anti-corrosion coating and insulation. Add everything contractors need to live on site: heavy machinery, transport, catering, cleaning, security and workwear.
Who can win:
- Construction contractors with industrial project experience.
- Suppliers of equipment and spare parts.
- Service firms for installation and commissioning.
- Suppliers of consumables and staff services.
Small businesses should look at subcontracting under the general contractor. On projects like this, big players take the main lots. Medium and small work gets spread further down.
When to expect tenders: construction starts in 2028. So procurement for design, long-lead equipment and site preparation may appear earlier, during 2027. The reports give no exact procurement dates. Watch official announcements, not expectations.
According to TenderLabs data as of 13 November 2026, the Construction sector has 2,420 open lots, Energy has 1,206, and Equipment and Machinery has 997. This is a market-wide snapshot, not just this project. It shows where competition is tightest and where your profile should sit.
What to do now
- Check whether you have the experience and permits for oil refining sites: self-regulatory membership, licences, clearance to work at hazardous facilities. Without them, large lots are closed to you.
- Prepare your document pack in advance: charter, certificates, proof of experience, equipment and material certificates. Pre-qualification on such projects is strict.
- Get an electronic digital signature and confirm it works on the platforms you need. Without it you cannot submit a bid at all.
- Track procurement by keywords: refinery, oil refining, modernisation, pipeline, instrumentation. Also track the plant name and its customer.
- Find likely general contractors and offer yourself as a subcontractor or supplier. It is easier to agree before a tender is announced.
TenderLabs can help you follow these lots as they appear and keep your profile ready before the first announcement.
Photo: Daryo.uz