BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 20. Kazakhstan's
Ministry of Energy has proposed shifting part of the country's road
bitumen procurement to the winter months to reduce seasonal supply
bottlenecks and ensure construction companies have sufficient
materials before the start of the peak road-building season.
This was reflected in the statement by the Ministry of Energy of
Kazakhstan.
Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov outlined the proposal during
a visit to the Caspi Bitum refinery in Aktau, where he discussed
measures to improve the efficiency of bitumen supply for
Kazakhstan's road construction sector.
The ministry said the initiative aims to smooth demand
throughout the year, reducing pressure on producers during the
summer months, when most contractors purchase bitumen
simultaneously.
"Kazakhstan's plants are capable of meeting the needs of the
road construction sector, but the greatest pressure occurs during
the summer, when most contractors begin purchasing bitumen at the
same time," Akkenzhenov said.
"If part of these purchases is shifted to the off-season, road
construction companies will be able to buy bitumen during a calmer
period without seasonal demand spikes. This will help distribute
production more evenly, avoid loading queues and make more
efficient use of budget funds allocated for road projects," he
added.
The proposal follows the completion of a modernization program
at Caspi Bitum in 2025, which was finalized ahead of schedule. The
upgrade increased the refinery's crude oil processing capacity to
1.5 million metric tons per year, while maximum annual production
of road bitumen reached 750,000 metric tons. According to the
ministry, the facility's production capacity is sufficient to fully
meet Kazakhstan's domestic demand for road bitumen. The average
selling price remains at approximately 165,000 tenge ($310) per
metric ton.
The ministry also highlighted packaged bitumen as a potential
solution for balancing seasonal demand. Unlike liquid bitumen,
packaged products can be manufactured during the winter, stored
outdoors without losing performance characteristics, and used
during the peak construction season.
Officials said wider use of packaged bitumen could reduce
dependence on specialized storage terminals required for liquid
bitumen while lowering infrastructure costs associated with
additional storage capacity.
During the visit, Akkenzhenov also reviewed Caspi Bitum's
production of polymer-modified bitumen, which offers greater
resistance to high temperatures, heavy traffic loads, and changing
weather conditions. The refinery can produce up to 200,000 metric
tons of the material annually if demand from road construction
companies warrants it.
"Experience from the Aktobe and Mangystau regions shows that
road surfaces built using polymer-modified bitumen retain their
performance characteristics for longer," the ministry said.
Separately, the Ministry of Energy said it is working with other
government agencies to establish a specialized research center
dedicated to developing advanced technologies for the production
and application of road construction materials. Officials said the
center is expected to accelerate the adoption of innovative
materials and technologies in Kazakhstan's highway construction
sector, supporting the country's broader efforts to improve
transport infrastructure and enhance the durability of its road
network.
