The key facts
- The volume of Uzbekneftegaz's cooperation with CNPC has exceeded $1 billion — import contracts, services and joint projects.
- The talks covered long-term petroleum product supplies, the opening of a CNPC representative office in Tashkent and support for the Gubkin University branch.
- Response to the M-25 accident: drilling of four additional wells by the end of December 2026, full elimination of consequences in the first half of 2027.
Talks in Tashkent
On October 20, Chairman of the Board of Uzbekneftegaz Abdugani Sanginov met with a delegation of the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) led by the company's president Zhou Xinhua, the press service of the Uzbek state company reported. The parties discussed expanding cooperation in the oil and gas sector, accelerating joint projects and advancing new initiatives. According to Uzbekneftegaz, the total volume of cooperation with CNPC has exceeded $1 billion — this amount includes import contracts, services and joint projects. However, as Gazeta.uz notes, the breakdown by area, the period over which the amount was formed and the volume of funds actually disbursed are not specified.
Cooperation with CNPC subsidiaries
The parties reviewed the results of work in drilling, geological exploration, seismic surveying, enhanced gas recovery, digitalization, engineering design and equipment supplies. In these areas, Uzbekneftegaz cooperates with companies within the CNPC structure — Xibu, BGP, CCDC and CNLC — whose projects are aimed at strengthening the technological capacity of the industry.
Accident at the M-25 field
One of the main topics was the response to the accident at the '25 Years of Independence' gas field (M-25) in the Baysun district of Surkhandarya region. The project envisages drilling special relief (rescue) wells, with which specialists hope to stop the uncontrolled gas release. In June, Sanginov reported that the Chinese company CCDC had been engaged for the work: according to him, its technical solution proved to be the best after reviewing proposals from companies from Russia, the USA and South Korea. The company's head stated that drilling of four additional wells is planned to begin by the end of December 2026, and the consequences of the accident are to be fully eliminated in the first half of 2027. In August, Uzbekneftegaz reported the start of work on the emergency well No. 604 near the village of Kofrun, for which more than 40 units of special equipment were to be delivered from China; at that time, completion of the work was planned for July 2027.
Chronology of the accident
On September 1, 2024, during drilling operations at well No. 604 of the field, a leak of gas with a high hydrogen sulfide content occurred; four people died and local residents were evacuated. No criminal case was reported to have been opened. In March 2025, a gas release occurred at another well — No. 202; to prevent further releases, the gas at the field was set on fire. Gas reserves at M-25 are estimated at 150–170 billion cubic meters. According to Gazeta.uz, it is one of the largest undeveloped gas fields in Uzbekistan, with a significant portion of the reserves characterized by a high content of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide.
Petroleum product supplies and CNPC representative office
The parties discussed diversifying sources of petroleum product supplies to ensure the uninterrupted supply of Uzbekistan's domestic market and expressed readiness to develop mechanisms for long-term supplies and coordination among the relevant companies. Earlier, Uzbekneftegaz reported considering long-term supplies of Jet A-1 aviation fuel from China. However, as Gazeta.uz notes, the company's statement does not specify which types of petroleum products, in what volumes and on what terms are expected to be supplied; no signing of new contracts has been reported either. In addition, at the meeting it was proposed to open a permanent CNPC representative office in Tashkent, create administrative infrastructure for coordinating joint projects and develop social initiatives. In the field of personnel training, the parties considered the possibility of supporting the Tashkent branch of the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas to train engineering and technical specialists for the industry.
