The Atyrau Region Ecology Department has sent materials regarding the Atyrau Oil Refinery (ANPZ) to court. The reason for the unscheduled inspection was numerous complaints from local residents about air quality. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

Emergency releases and flared gas

During the inspection, environmentalists recorded major emergency releases. Due to incidents at the combined sulfur production unit (KUPС) and the catalytic cracking unit (UKK) on August 25, as well as from September 2 to 7, 2026, more than 100 tonnes of gas were burned at the plant's flare. Unscheduled shutdowns and repairs were also registered at the enterprise.

Exceeding emission standards

Instrumental monitoring of industrial emissions showed exceedances of standards for carbon oxide, nitrogen oxide and dioxide. Violations were recorded at the following facilities:

  • 01individual process furnaces of the ELOU-AT-2 and ELOU-AVT-3 units;
  • 02tanks of the delayed coking unit (UZK).

Inspectors also found that for individual process furnaces of the ELOU-AT-2 and ELOU-AVT-3 units, as well as tanks of the delayed coking unit (UZK), emission calculations were not carried out at all and their standards were not determined.

In addition, the plant violated requirements for the operation of the automated monitoring system and failed to carry out measures to reduce emissions during unfavorable meteorological conditions.

Referral to court and law enforcement

Since ANPZ is included in the register of investors, the initiation of administrative cases was agreed with the prosecutor by law – permission was received on October 1, 2026, after which the materials were sent to court. Separately, the inspection results were handed over to law enforcement agencies to check for signs of a criminal offense.

Concerns over air quality in Atyrau

Earlier, Kursiv wrote that amid questions about air quality in Atyrau, regional inspector of the Office of the Government of Kazakhstan Aidyn Begimbekov visited the Atyrau Oil Refinery (ANPZ) on a working trip.

He was shown the plant's production facilities and evaporation fields, and was told about measures to reduce the plant's impact on the environment.

Also, in August 2026, it became known that a fire occurred at the ANPZ treatment facilities. Despite the incident, the enterprise continued to operate as normal.

Background on the plant

The Atyrau Oil Refinery (ANPZ LLP) is 99% owned by the national company KazMunayGas and is considered one of the three leading oil refineries in Kazakhstan.

It was built during the Great Patriotic War and commissioned in 1945. The design processing capacity of ANPZ is 5.5 million tonnes per year, with a refining depth of up to 88.8%.

The enterprise produces over 30 (including markings) types of commercial petroleum products: hydrocarbon gases, liquefied, fuel; automotive and diesel fuels of environmental classes K4 and K5, jet fuels, vacuum gas oil, heating oil, fuel oil, petroleum cokes, technical sulfur, etc.

Today, the plant is the only producer of petrochemical products in Kazakhstan – benzene and paraxylene.