Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Oct. 20
By Demir Azizov- Trend:
The Uzbekneftegaz National Holding Company (NHC) in 2015-2017 will buy high-tech equipment for carrying out geological exploration work totaling $165 million, according to the holding.
Currently, Uzbekneftegaz holds three tenders for the supply of equipment for the geological exploration work, including the supply of two drilling rigs with a carrying capacity of 450 tons with an upper actuator with a starting price of each rig worth $22.075 million.
In addition, currently the holding carries out tenders for the supply of three stations of geotechnical studies of wells worth $482,000 each and one carton station with a maximum supply price worth $1 million.
Results of the competitions will be summed in late October - early November.
Funding for the purchase of equipment will be carried out at the expense of Uzbekneftegaz and the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan in the amount of $66 million.
In total, by 2018 the holding plans to purchase 17 rigs of exploration drilling, 6 digital telemetric seismic stations for 3D seismic, 20 seismic stations for 2D seismic, as well as a wide range of equipment for seismic surveys.
Renewal of equipment is associated with the company's plans to revitalize exploration work in order to increase the growth of hydrocarbon reserves.
Currently, Uzgeoburneftegaz, a structural unit of Uzbekneftegaz, carries out exploration work of oil and gas in Uzbekistan.
At the end of 2014, Uzgeoburneftegaz commissioned 20 new areas in the exploratory drilling.
However, the increase in gas reserves remained at the level of 2013, while oil and condensate decreased by 1.6 percent.
In 2013, the growth of gas reserves fell by 20.7 percent, crude oil and condensate - by 29.1 percent.
Since April 2013, the data on the production of gas and liquid hydrocarbons of Uzbekistan has not been disclosed.
"Uzbekneftegaz" NHC is the monopoly operator of the oil and gas sector of Uzbekistan. It was established in 1998 and comprises six joint stock companies.
Uzbekistan production holds the third place among the CIS countries for natural gas and is among the ten largest gas-producing countries in the world. Every year the country produces about 60 billion cubic meters of gas. Some volumes are exported to China and Russia.
Recoverable proven hydrocarbon reserve of Uzbekistan exceeded 2.5 billion metric tons of oil equivalent as of early 2015 and around 65 percent of this volume accounted for gas reserves.
