Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Uzbekneftegaz has declined to disclose the cost of work to address the consequences of an accident at the Mustakillikning 25 yilligi (M25) gas field, citing a confidentiality agreement with its contractor. Work has already begun, and the necessary equipment has been delivered to the site.
Representatives of the state-owned company disclosed this on 27 October at a press conference reviewing its performance over the first nine months of the year.
Responding to a journalist's question about the contract value, a Uzbekneftegaz representative said the parties had signed a non-disclosure agreement.
“On this basis, before disclosing any figure, we must obtain the opinion and consent of the other party,” he said.
The company also rejected suggestions that the cost of the work might have been inflated. According to its representative, the decision on the contractor and the terms of cooperation was made after a comprehensive assessment and consultations with relevant government agencies.
Mumin Ibodov, head of the company's press service, said he had taken part in all negotiations with potential contractors.
The discussions covered the cost, deadlines and quality of the work. According to Ibodov, the company's chairman several times rejected proposals he considered overpriced or inconsistent with the requirements. The final decision was made after these issues had been reviewed.
“The goal here is not the price, but to eliminate the consequences of the accident as quickly as possible,” the press service head said.
According to information cited by a journalist, as of 23 October, discussions on addressing the accident's consequences were being held jointly with China's CNPC. The work is expected to continue until the first half of 2027.
The work is being carried out directly by CCDC, a company within the CNPC group. Before making the decision, Uzbekneftegaz held negotiations with contractors from the United States, China and Russia. They proposed various technical approaches to addressing the consequences of the accident.
The selection process took into account completion deadlines, potential risks, costs and experience in dealing with similar incidents, including in neighbouring regions.
The specific contract value and details of the financial arrangements remain undisclosed.
