In 2026, Uzbekistan will aim to offset the sharp production decline trend by launching new fields, announced the Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov at a meeting of the Legislative Chamber on Thursday.

He underscored that the situation in the industry was challenging due to natural depletion of resources:

"Of course, one of our most pressing issues is oil and production. In this regard, it should be underscored that, despite the efforts, production rates and pressure have actually dropped in 85% of our fields, that is, taking into account their degree of depletion."

According to him, additional resources and funding for geological exploration have been contributed to promising regions at the directives of the president:

"As you know, a new field was discovered in Ustyurt region of Karakalpakstan, near Muynak. And the most encouraging thing is that this field have already been connected to the system, and 3 million cubic meters of gas per day thanks to the commissioning of two wells.

Seven more wells are planned to be drilled by the end of the year, and utilities are being installed and preparations for connection are underway. The ministry also announced the commenced cooperation with SOCAR on exploration, while Uzbekneftegaz continues its own projects.

In November, a new gas field was discovered in the Muynak district of Karakalpakstan. Uzbekneftegaz CEO Bakhodir Sidikov called it "unique" due to its high reservoir pressure.

On July 26, while drilling the first exploratory well, designed for a of 5,000-meter depth, a gas blowout occurred at a depth of 4,707 meters. The accident took a month to resolve. According to Sidikov, one of the wells produced 100 million cubic meters of gas in two months at a cost of approximately 45 billion soums.

On December 12, Uzbekneftegaz published information on the progress of work at the field.

"It is gratifying that high-pressure commercial gas was obtained at the first of these rigs these days. Drilling at the drilling rigs you see behind me has also entered the final stage, and it is planned that high-pressure gas will also be obtained from there," said company spokesman Mumin Ibodov.

The Muynak-2 well, drilled on August 31 and completed in November, became the most productive in Uzbekistan:

"Erected in 90 days, it is now the highest-flowing well in the country (a well capable of producing more gas than any other in the country in a given time – ed.). The well was connected to the Uztransgaz pipeline system," a company specialist stated.

One of the key stages is the creation of infrastructure for gas collection and treatment:

"As you can see, we are building gas gathering stations." At the current Muynak field, we have already built a new gas gathering station designed for 12 wells."

At the initiative of the company's president and management, a new pipeline is being laid:

"The plan is to lay a 34-kilometer gas pipeline with a 530 mm diameter from the Muynak field to the Arslon gas treatment complex. Ten kilometers of pipes have already been delivered in the first phase. Within 15 days, these 10 kilometers were quickly installed and commissioned," said Latifjon Zhumanazarov, chief specialist of the Ustyurt Gas Production Department.

A second Muynak well was also connected to the gas gathering station and commissioned.

According to the Energy Institute, confirmed natural gas reserves in Uzbekistan by the end of 2024 amounted to 1.97 trillion cubic meters. Meanwhile, production has been declining in recent years: 44.6 billion cubic meters at the end of last year (32.2 billion cubic meters in the first nine months, -4.4%). Compared to 2019 (59.4 billion), the decline was 14.9 billion cubic meters.

Year-to-date, production has totaled 35.5 billion cubic meters (-4.8%, or 1.8 billion less).

Uzbekistan currently imports gas from Russia and Turkmenistan. In the first 10 months of this year, the country imported $1.12 billion worth of gas, a 16% decrease compared to the same period last year. While, Uzbekistan increased gas exports by 5.1% to $568.2 million. Uzbek gas is primarily exported to China.