Cambodia breaks ground on the site of its first oil refinery

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on the site of Cambodia’s first oil refinery, a US$620 million project aimed at reducing spending on imported fuel.

The refinery, being built by an engineering unit of China National Petroleum Co. (CNPC), will be able to process 2 million tons of crude oil a year when it is completed in 2019, according to Cambodia’s Minister of Mines and Energy Suy Sem. A second phase unit that is set for completion in 2022 will increase capacity to 5 million tons.

The refinery, located in Cambodia’s southwestern Preah Sihanouk province, will be a joint venture between Cambodian Petrochemical Co. and China’s Sino Great Wall International Engineering Co. Ltd.

SuySem said most of the crude oil for the refinery would come from the Middle East.