New 6 Billion TRY Investment from STAR Rafineri: Diesel Production Capacity to Increase by 600 Thousand Tons

STAR Rafineri, a subsidiary of SOCAR Türkiye, has signed an EPC contract with a consortium of international companies to establish a New Jet Fuel (Kero-Merox) Unit with an investment of approximately 6 billion TRY. With the new facility planned to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2029, the refinery’s annual diesel production is targeted to increase by approximately 600 thousand tons.

STAR Rafineri, which aims to contribute to Türkiye’s fuel supply, is implementing a new investment that will increase its production capacity and operational flexibility. Within the scope of the project, valued at approximately 6 billion TRY, an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract was signed with a consortium of international companies for the establishment of the New Jet Fuel (Kero-Merox) Unit.

While the engineering, procurement and construction works of the project have begun, the new unit is planned to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2029.

An Additional 600 Thousand Tons of Capacity to Annual Diesel Production

With the New Jet Fuel Unit investment, a significant transformation is aimed to be realized in STAR Rafineri’s production processes. By switching the KHT Unit, currently used for jet fuel production, into diesel production mode, the refinery’s annual diesel production is targeted to increase by approximately 600 thousand tons.

As jet fuel production will be carried out at the newly established Kero-Merox Unit, the existing KHT Unit can once again be used for jet fuel production depending on market conditions. In this way, it is aimed to increase the transition flexibility between the refinery’s diesel and jet fuel production, develop its production capabilities, and contribute to energy efficiency.

“We Aim to Contribute to Reducing Türkiye’s Dependency on Diesel Imports”

Commenting on the strategic importance of the investment, Petkim General Manager and SOCAR Türkiye Refining and Petrochemicals Business Unit President Kanan Mirzayev stated that the new unit is a significant transformation investment that will increase STAR Rafineri’s production flexibility and energy efficiency.

Mirzayev made the following statements:

“The New Jet Fuel Unit that we will implement at STAR Rafineri is a strategic transformation investment that will increase our refinery’s production flexibility and energy efficiency. By moving our jet fuel production to our new facility, we will create an additional diesel production capacity of approximately 600 thousand tons per year.

We will further increase our flexibility to adjust our jet fuel and diesel production according to market conditions. With our investment of approximately 6 billion TRY, we aim to contribute to reducing Türkiye’s dependency on diesel imports and its current account deficit. With this investment, SOCAR’s total investments in Türkiye will reach 20 billion USD. When STAR Rafineri was commissioned at the end of 2018, it was Türkiye’s third largest refinery on a facility basis, with an annual refining capacity of 10 million tons.

Through the work we have carried out in recent years, we have raised this capacity to 13 million tons per year and made our refinery Türkiye’s largest refinery on a facility basis. With our new investment, we will carry this strength even further.”

The New Facility Is Planned to Be Commissioned in the First Quarter of 2029

With the completion of the New Jet Fuel Unit, it is aimed to develop STAR Rafineri’s production capabilities and increase its contribution to Türkiye’s fuel supply.

Occupational health and safety will be treated as a priority during the construction and installation phases of the project. Following the safe completion of the works, the new facility is planned to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2029.