Uzbekistan increases gas imports from Russia and Turkmenistan as exports to China surge

Over the past eight months of the year, Uzbekistan has significantly increased its gas imports, according to data from the Statistics Agency.

From January to August, Uzbekistan’s gas imports from Turkmenistan and Russia increased 5.7 times, reaching $1.15 billion. Monthly natural gas deliveries amounted to $168.3 million. Last year, for the first time since independence, Uzbekistan transitioned from being a gas exporter to an importer.

In the previous month, natural gas exports to China remained at the same level as in July, around $81.7 million. Since the beginning of the year, gas supplies to China have totaled $404.8 million, a 7.1% increase year-on-year.

However, the Statistics Agency’s figures differ slightly from those provided by China's General Administration of Customs, which reported that Uzbekistan has exported $401.5 million worth of gas since the beginning of the year, nearly 5% more than the same period in 2023.

Additionally, Chinese customs reported a significant rise in natural gas imports from Uzbekistan in August, increasing from $69.1 million in July to $97.3 million.

Turkmenistan remains the leading exporter of gas to China, supplying $6.55 billion worth of natural gas since the start of the year. Russia is in second place, substantially increasing its gas exports to $5.4 billion. Following them are Myanmar ($913.3 million) and Kazakhstan ($897.2 million).