By Digital Spartans 
Attock Refinery Limited (ATRL) has announced plans to establish a new 50,000 barrels per day (bpd) deep-conversion refinery, subject to the availability of sustained additional crude supplies from northern oil fields and the required support from the government.
The proposed project was disclosed in the company’s FY2026 annual report. Attock Refinery said the planned facility would be a state-of-the-art deep-conversion refinery aimed at expanding its refining capabilities and improving the quality of petroleum products.
The project is currently conditional rather than a confirmed construction commitment. According to the company, its implementation would depend on securing sustainable enhanced supplies of locally produced crude from northern Pakistan, along with necessary government support.
The proposed 50,000-bpd facility would represent a significant addition to Attock Refinery’s existing refining operations. ATRL currently has a nameplate refining capacity of around 53,400 barrels per day, according to a PACRA rating report.
The new project comes alongside a separate modernisation programme already being pursued by the company. ATRL is working on an estimated $600 million upgrade of its existing facilities as part of efforts to improve fuel quality and meet Euro-V specifications.
One of the planned upgrades involves a Continuous Catalyst Regeneration (CCR) unit. The project is expected to increase premium motor gasoline production and improve the octane level of the company’s gasoline pool to meet Euro-V standards.
The CCR project is also designed to reduce the need for octane-boosting additives and decrease the need to export naphtha. These changes form part of ATRL’s broader strategy to improve the specifications and value of its petroleum products.
The company is also planning a revamp of its Diesel Hydro Desulphurization (DHDS) unit. The upgrade is expected to lower the sulphur content of high-speed diesel to 10 parts per million, supporting production of Euro-V diesel.
According to details reported from the company’s annual report, licensor Front-End Engineering Design studies for the CCR and DHDS projects have been completed. ATRL has also appointed Italy-based Studi Technologie Progetti SpA for project FEED and project management consultancy services.
The engineering work for the upgrade project was reported to be around 90 percent complete, with technical deliverables covering areas including process, mechanical, civil, electrical and instrumentation disciplines.
The proposed new refinery reflects ATRL’s longer-term expansion plans as Pakistan seeks to modernise its refining sector and reduce reliance on imported petroleum products. The federal Petroleum Division has said Pakistan’s refinery modernisation programme could attract more than $6 billion in investment across the sector.
For Attock Refinery, however, crude availability remains a key factor in determining whether the proposed 50,000-bpd facility can move forward. The company’s existing operations are closely connected to indigenous crude supplies, making sustained production from northern fields particularly important for future expansion.
The company’s FY2026 annual report therefore places the new deep-conversion refinery within a wider programme of capacity expansion, plant modernisation and fuel-quality improvements.
If the required crude supplies and government support become available, the proposed facility could substantially expand ATRL’s refining footprint. For now, the project remains dependent on these conditions as the company continues work on its existing refinery upgrade programme.