Uzbekistan starts importing Russian gasoline AI-80

Uzbekistan has started importing AI-80 gasoline from Russia to meet domestic demand in winter.

“We started to import AI-80 gasoline from Russia. Sales in the domestic market started at the weekend,” a representative of Uzbekneftegaz told RIA Novosti on January 30, Gazeta.ru reports.

He explained that the fuel is supplied to the company’s 69 gas stations across Uzbekistan. Suppliers are Gazpromneft, Tatneft and a number of special structures.

The company said, “Demand for AI-80 gasoline has increased due to the severe cold and limited operation of gas stations. In this context, Uzbekneftegaz started importing gasoline.”

In December, the Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan reported that it signed an agreement for the supply of 300,000 tons of oil and petroleum products from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan and the transit of 300,000 tons of Russian oil in 2023.

Since 2018, due to the decrease in gas supply in winter, temporary restrictions on the operation of gas filling stations in the republic began to be introduced in order to ensure a stable supply of natural gas to the population, hospitals, schools, preschool institutions, as well as the population. like large power plants. About 70 per cent of road transport can run on cheaper gas, as there is a shortage of diesel fuel and gasoline in the country.

The total capacity of the refineries in Uzbekistan is around 10 million tons, which is not fully loaded today. In recent years, the country has regularly experienced acute shortages of gasoline and other petroleum products. According to official statistics, oil production in Uzbekistan increased by 1.8% last year to 787.8 thousand tons.