Uzbekistan, Tashkent, May 15 / Trend, D. Azizov /
In 2013-2014, Uzbekistan intends to propose six investment blocks with promising hydrocarbon reserves for foreign investors to conduct exploration operations at, Uzbekneftegaz National Holding Company said at "Oil & Gas Uzbekistan 2013" international exhibition in Tashkent today.
The list includes three blocks in the Bukhara-Khiva region, two blocks in Middle Syrdarya region and one block in the Fergana region with total probable reserves of hydrocarbons of about 500 billion cubic meters of natural gas and 70 million tons of liquid hydrocarbons.
Currently, there are five oil and gas regions in Uzbekistan (Ustyurt, Bukhara-Khiva, Surkhandarya, Hissar and Fergana) and three promising ones (Khorezm, Middle Syrdarya and Zarafshan) in Uzbekistan.
As of early 2013, around 243 oil and gas fields were discovered in Uzbekistan. Around 104 of the total number of fields are being developed, 79 prepared for development and conserved. Exploration operations are being conducted at 60 fields.
The proven hydrocarbon reserves of industrial category hit more than 2.5 billion tons of standard fuel mainly gaseous hydrocarbons as of early 2013.
The projected reserves of hydrocarbons hit about 10 billion tons of standard fuel, perspective - about two billion tons with preliminary estimated oil reserves, gas and condensate worth more than 550 million tons of standard fuel.
Uzbekistan ranked third among the CIS countries and fifteenth in the world in terms of the annual natural gas production.
It was reported that Uzbekistan reduced natural gas production by 0.2 percent up to 62.911 billion cubic meters, liquid hydrocarbons - 11.6 percent up to 3.165 million tons compared to 2011. Oil production fell by 17.4 percent - to 1.561 million tons, gas condensate - by 5.6 percent - up to 1.604 million tons.