Corporate press-service reported that PetroKazakhstan Oil Products Ltd. Refinery was shut-down for repairs on Wednesday. According to their information Shymkent Refinery, owned and managed by PetroKazakhstan Oil Products, will be stopped from October 19 until November 19, 2011 for scheduled overhaul. Shymkent Refinery overhaul downtime schedule has been agreed with Oil and Gas Ministry. According to the press-service all repairs and investment projects are aimed to improve refinery operation and its equipment reliability to ensure quality and smooth operation of the refinery in future. Earlier, Sauat Mynbayev, Head of Oil and Gas Ministry, reported that Shymkent refinery scheduled maintenance period had been moved from October 5 to October 19. At a cabinet meeting in late September in Astana, Sauat Mynbayev told that the dates of Shymkent refinery scheduled maintenance were moved from October 5 to October 19 in order to accumulate the necessary amount of fuel. In this regard, he asked Akims to reserve a pre-agreed amount of diesel oil. It is known that in Kazakhstan oil refineries suspend their work for scheduled maintenance once a year. PetroKazakhstan Oil Products is a member of PetroKazakhstan Group.

Interfax-Kazakhstan