TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, September 26. The Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan and the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) have signed a memorandum of cooperation to build a new underground gas storage facility, Trend reports.
The proposed infrastructure is strategically positioned within
the Korabayir sector of the Kasan administrative division in the
Kashkadarya region. Preliminary findings indicate that the 12th
horizon within the domain has been delineated as the most
advantageous for the storage infrastructure.
The newly implemented storage solution is projected to accommodate
an impressive 1.5 billion cubic meters of active natural gas,
representing a critical capacity for bolstering the nation's energy
resilience and mitigating seasonal consumption variances.
In January 2024, Uzbekistan’s President already discussed with CNPC leadership the construction of underground gas storage, modernization of the gas transmission system, and implementation of advanced drilling technologies. In September this year, the parties revisited the project details.
Currently, Uzbekistan operates two underground gas storage facilities: Gazli in Romitan district of Bukhara region and Khodjaabad in Andijan region. The capacity of Gazli, owned by Gazli Gas Storage (linked to entrepreneur Bakhtiyor Fazylov), was increased from 3 to 4.5 billion cubic meters, with plans to reach 6 billion cubic meters by 2025. Khodjaabad holds 900 million cubic meters, with planned expansion to 1.05 billion cubic meters.
Furthermore, Uzbekistan has engaged in dialogues with Kyrgyzstan
regarding the potential reactivation of the North-Sokh gas storage
facility located in the Sokh district of the Fergana region, which
has remained dormant since May 2011. The volumetric capacity is
projected to be in the range of 2.5 to 3 billion cubic meters.
The forthcoming Korabayir initiative represents a pivotal
advancement in fortifying Uzbekistan's energy resilience.
