Colossal Gas Reserves Discovered at Ustyurt Plateau at 6.5 km Depth — President of Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Colossal gas reserves have been discovered at a depth of 6.5 kilometers on the Ustyurt Plateau, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev reported during a meeting with education sector workers, while also confirming plans to introduce a unified state exam in schools.

The head of state noted that previous exploration in the oil and gas sector was conducted at depths of 2.5–3 kilometers. “This year, for the first time in the history of our industry, drilling to a depth of 6.5 kilometers on the Ustyurt Plateau has revealed colossal gas reserves,” Mirziyoyev emphasized.

In August 2024, Uzbekneftegaz and the Azerbaijani company SOCAR signed a cooperation agreement in the oil and gas sector. Geological exploration activities, including seismic surveys and preparation for hydrocarbon extraction, have begun on the Ustyurt Plateau under this project.

On 24, July the parties signed a production sharing agreement, which will allow Uzbekistan to fully cover its domestic oil imports for the next 25 years. The extracted gas will be supplied to the domestic market, while the industrial sector will receive high-quality and affordable petroleum products.

The project is being implemented in three phases, with estimated investments of around US$2 billion. The projected reserves are 100 million tons of oil and 35 billion cubic meters of natural gas, with planned annual oil production of 5 million tons — 2.5 times the current import volume.