Kazakhstan may begin oil supplies to Uzbekistan

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Kazakhstan is considering the possibility of starting supplies of crude oil and petroleum products to Uzbekistan, according to Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy Erlan Akkenzhenov during the RES 2026 regional environmental summit in Astana, reported by BAQ.KZ.

According to him, the two sides are already actively cooperating in the energy sector, including the transit of Russian gas to Uzbekistan and supplies of Russian oil. At present, the possibility of exporting Kazakh crude oil and petroleum products to the Uzbek market is also under review.

The minister noted that cooperation between the countries is based on principles of experience sharing and mutual support, covering not only the energy sector but also other areas of the economy. He also said that prospects for large joint projects are being discussed, including in petrochemicals and oil refining.

The talks come as Astana hosts the RES 2026 summit, where key topics include climate change, water resource management, and sustainable development.

Earlier in mid-April, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin stated plans to increase supplies of natural gas and oil to Uzbekistan and expand energy cooperation.

According to the Customs Committee of Uzbekistan, imports of oil and petroleum products increased by 42.2% in January–March 2026 compared to the same period last year, rising from 315.9 million to 449.1 million US dollars.

The main growth was driven by gasoline imports, which more than doubled in volume from 204.9 million to 428.2 million liters, while their value increased from 119.6 million to 246.2 million US dollars. The average price remained stable at around 0.57–0.58 US dollars per liter.

Diesel imports also increased, rising by 38% in volume to 125,500 tons and by 33% in value to 98 million US dollars. The average price declined from 0.81 to 0.78 US dollars per kilogram.

In 2025, Uzbekistan imported oil and petroleum products worth 2.01 billion US dollars, of which 1.33 billion US dollars accounted for petroleum products, a 7.4% increase compared to 2024. Gasoline made up the largest share, with 819.3 million liters worth 492.6 million US dollars. Diesel supplies increased 3.3 times, reaching 397,300 tons worth 320.6 million US dollars.

According to the UN Comtrade database, Uzbekistan imported 478,700 tons of Russian crude oil worth 282.9 million US dollars in 2024, compared to 40,800 tons worth 24.7 million US dollars from Kazakhstan the previous year.

However, Kazakh oil prices were lower than Russian supplies in 2024, at about 0.56 US dollars per kilogram compared to 0.59 US dollars per kilogram for Russian oil.