TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 16. Massive natural gas reserves have been discovered at a depth of 6.5 kilometers on the Ustyurt Plateau, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev said during a meeting with education sector employees, Trend reports via the Press Secretary of the President of Uzbekistan.
The head of state emphasized that until recently, exploration in Uzbekistan’s oil and gas sector was limited to depths of 2,500–3,000 meters.
“This year, for the first time in the history of our industry, we drilled to a depth of 6,500 meters on the Ustyurt Plateau and discovered enormous gas reserves,” Mirziyoyev stressed.
In August 2024, Uzbekistan’s national oil and gas company, Uzbekneftegaz, and Azerbaijan’s SOCAR signed a cooperation agreement in the hydrocarbon sector. As part of this partnership, geological exploration, including seismic surveys and preparations for hydrocarbon production, began on the Ustyurt Plateau.
On July 24, the sides signed a production sharing agreement (PSA), which will allow Uzbekistan to fully cover domestic oil import needs for the next 25 years. The extracted gas will be directed to the domestic market, ensuring local industries are supplied with affordable and high-quality petroleum products.