Energy Minister addresses sharp decline in Uzbekistan’s natural gas production

Speaking at the Energy Week forum in Tashkent on May 12, the minister noted that the primary objective now is to stabilize output and maintain current volumes rather than expecting immediate growth. During the first quarter of 2026, total gas extraction reached 9.6 billion cubic meters, marking a 15% decline from the first quarter of 2025 and a 17.2% drop compared to the same timeframe in 2024.

Mirzamakhmudov attributed the bulk of this decline to the Shurtan field and other long-standing sites in the Bukhara–Khiva and Kashkadarya regions. He pointed out that many of these established fields have already been exploited to 85–90% of their capacity, making a natural downward trend in production inevitable.

To counteract these losses, Uzbekneftegaz and its international partners are intensifying efforts in drilling, purchasing modern equipment, and conducting extensive geological exploration. The minister specifically highlighted ongoing collaborations with SOCAR and BP, which are focused on discovering and preparing new fields in the Ustyurt region.