/IRBIS, Feb 8, 02/ - On February 8 in Atyrau there was held a ceremony of laying of "the first stone" at the floor for building of technological construction of gasoline processing (hydro cleaning, fractioning, isomerization) of atyrau oil refinery (ANPZ). . It is said in a press release distributed today by NOC Kazakhoil CJSC, bonds of which are traded within official list of securities under category "A" of Kazakhstan stock exchange (KASE).

This event means official date of entering into force of the contract for construction "turnkey" on the project of Atyrau oil refinery reconstruction signed on December 04,2001 in Astana between NOC Kazakhoil CJSC and Marubeni corporation.

For the contract realization the loan of Japanese Bank of International Collaboration (JBIC, $200m) secured by the government guarantee, corporation Marubeni ($35m) and own investments of NOC Kazakhoil CJSC in the amount of $80m are used. During the visit to Japan the President of Kazakhstan confirmed high priority of this project.

Atyrau oil refinery is a first-born of oil processing of Kazakhstan, which was built on northeastern coast of Caspian Sea in 1945. For today it's the only oil refinery located in a center of main oil fields of the republic with direct supply of oil through acting systems of oil pipelines.

Based on data of Kazakhoil, a realization of the project will allow Atyrau oil refinery process unique oils with high content of light hydrocarbons, expand assortment, and produce oil products corresponding to world standards.

Building of new constructions and equipment, modernization of existing and launching new technological processes will let increase a deepness of oil processing up to 92%, start production of auto gasoline AI-95 on Euro-2005 standard and winter diesel oil without additives and also increase more than 4 times production of AI-93 and double - production of diesel oil with Euro- 2005 quality.

This project assists significant increase of work places at the plant and its contractors (up to 3000 places).

According to NOC Kazakhoil CJSC information, the most important in the project is a decline of polluting emissions into atmosphere. Total cost of measures on environmental protection will account about 32% of the reconstruction project costs and will allow minimize air and water pollution. Project takes into consideration a decrease of water outflow from Ural River, cleaning up of production channels from amino compound substances, possible liquidation of chops irrigation fields due to their direction to bio cleaning. A level of emissions into atmosphere of polluting substances: anhydride, carbon oxide, hydrogen sulphide etc.

The company informs that reconstruction of Atyrau oil refinery project realization corresponds to the strategy of NOC Kazakhoil CJSC as vertically integrated company and assists dynamic and stable development of the national company. "The project realization will give an opportunity to the sate through Atyrau oil refinery carry out national policy in oil products market in the Republic, provide energy security and have stable increase of tax inflows and other mandatory payments to the budget," is said in the press release.