Uzbekistan, Russia, and Kazakhstan are discussing an increase in gas supplies, announced Pavel Sorokin, the First Deputy Minister of Energy of Russia, the newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports.
Previously, the parties agreed that Russian gas would be delivered to Uzbekistan through Kazakhstan in a reverse mode. The contract is signed for two years and stipulates the supply of 2.8 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The cost of Russian gas for Uzbekistan is not disclosed, but as stated by the Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan, the "contract is developed on commercial terms." Thanks to Russian gas, the authorities will be able to eliminate the deficit of "blue fuel" in the autumn-winter period. Deliveries are set to begin on October 1, 2023.
Currently, the Russian company "Gazprom" already has existing contracts for gas supply to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Sorokin mentioned.
"The increase in supply volumes is indeed being discussed, and there are already some initial results," he noted.
However, it is premature to talk about the transit of Russian gas to China, Sorokin added.
"In this regard, we need to take a comprehensive look at our gas relations with China. We need to consider all projects comprehensively. So, I wouldn't want to single them out separately; it's all part of the same chain. But undoubtedly, expanding infrastructure and deepening gas ties will benefit everyone," he emphasized.
According to Sorokin, Central Asian countries will, first of all, be able to guarantee their peak periods of domestic gas demand. Secondly, this will allow them to fulfill their export contract obligations. And for Russia, it means expanding connections with partners and diversifying supply routes.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
September 14, 2023