Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) -- PJSC Gazprom and JSC NC QazaqGaz have signed long-term contracts to provide services for the transportation of Russian gas through Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. 

The agreements were signed at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2024 by Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Board of PJSC Gazprom, and Sanjar Zharkeshov, Chairman of the Board of JSC NC QazaqGaz.

According to Gazprom, the contracts are valid from 2025 to 2040.

Both sides intend to implement several projects to ensure gas transit. Plans include expanding the specially allocated route based on the Central Asia – Center main gas pipeline system and undertaking other projects to develop gas transportation infrastructure in Kazakhstan.

Additionally, a plan of activities was signed between Alexey Miller and Roman Sklyar, First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, to prepare the facilities of the Central Asia – Center IV main gas pipeline for increasing the transportation of Russian gas to Uzbekistan.

In June 2023, Uzbekistan and Russia signed a two-year contract for the supply of Russian gas to Uzbekistan. The parties also adopted a roadmap to prepare the gas transportation system of this country for the reception and transportation of Russian pipeline gas.

In October 2023, Russia began supplying natural gas to Uzbekistan through Kazakhstan. The supplies are organized in reverse mode along a specially allocated route based on the Central Asia – Center main gas pipeline system.

According to the signed contract, Russia supplies 2.8 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Uzbekistan.

Uzbekistan is interested in increasing the volumes of gas supplies from Russia. During a visit to Tashkent in May 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced efforts to expand the capacity of the Central Asia – Center pipeline system, which will allow increasing the volume of gas transported to Uzbekistan to 11 billion cubic meters per year by 2025.

Earlier, the first stage of a program to modernize the main gas pipeline system was announced, aimed at increasing natural gas imports in the northern direction from 2024 to 2030. The project’s cost is US$500 million. As a result of the modernization, the supply volume from Russia to Uzbekistan will increase from 9 to 32 million cubic meters of gas per day.