Uzbekistan looks to new discoveries after admitting majority of fields exhausted

Uzbekistan aims to curb the sharp decline in hydrocarbon production in 2026 by bringing new fields into operation, Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov said on December 11 while addressing a session of the country’s Legislative Chamber.

The minister acknowledged that conditions in the energy sector remain challenging, largely due to the natural depletion of existing resources. He described hydrocarbon extraction as one of the most pressing issues facing the country.

“Despite the work being carried out, the resources of 85 per cent of our fields are effectively exhausted. As a result, production rates and reservoir pressure have been declining sharply year after year,” Mirzamakhmudov said.

He noted that, on the instructions of the president, additional personnel have been deployed to promising regions and extra funding has been allocated to intensify geological exploration efforts.

These measures have already produced results. According to the minister, a new field has been discovered in the Ustyurt region of Karakalpakstan, within the Muynak district. “The most important point is that the field has now been connected to the system, and with two wells brought online, it has become possible to produce an additional 3 million cubic meters of gas per day,” he said.

Mirzamakhmudov added that further development work is underway. By the end of the year, seven more wells are scheduled to be drilled, while preparations are currently being made to deliver and connect the necessary pipelines.

In parallel, Uzbekistan has launched geological exploration projects jointly with the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan, while the national company Uzbekneftegaz continues to implement its own development initiatives.

Summing up, the minister expressed cautious optimism, saying he hopes that the commissioning of new fields will help stabilise the sharp downward trend in gas production as early as next year.

By Tamilla Hasanova