Uzbekistan Gas Sector: Declining Production and Rising Imports

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan is undergoing structural changes in its natural gas sector, with declining production, reduced export revenues, and a growing reliance on imports. Data from the National Statistics Committee for January–April 2026 confirm the continuation of this trend.

Production: third consecutive year of decline

In January–April 2026, natural gas production in Uzbekistan totaled 12.6 billion cubic meters, a 16% decrease compared to 15.0 billion cubic meters in the same period of 2025, and 17.6% lower than in 2024 (15.3 billion cubic meters).

Gas condensate production also declined from 395.2 thousand tons in January–April 2025 to 319.3 thousand tons in the same period of 2026, a drop of 19.2%.

Oil production also continued to decrease, falling from 214.3 thousand tons to 209.0 thousand tons year-on-year.

Exports: 35% drop in value terms

Amid declining production, gas export revenues fell from $199.7 million in January–April 2025 to $129.4 million in the same period of 2026, a decrease of 35.2%.

For comparison, a year earlier exports had increased by 85% compared to the same period of 2024.

Imports: sharp increase

At the same time, Uzbekistan significantly increased its gas imports. In January–April 2026, imports reached $508.3 million, up 53.6% compared to the previous year.

The gap between export revenues ($129.4 million) and import spending ($508.3 million) amounted to nearly $379 million.

Oil refining shows recovery signs

Despite challenges in gas production, oil refining indicators showed improvement. Gasoline production increased from 390.0 thousand tons in January–April 2025 to 417.5 thousand tons in 2026 (+7.1%), while diesel fuel output rose from 325.3 thousand tons to 381.0 thousand tons (+17.1%).