Uzbekneftegaz expects gas production to decline to 22.8 bcm in 2026

In January–September 2026, the state company and its subsidiaries produced about 17 billion cubic metres of gas. The year-end target is 22.8 billion compared to 25.2 billion in 2025, which means annual output could decline by 2.4 billion cubic metres, or 9.5%. According to Mukhiddinov, reserves at major fields are more than 80% depleted.

At the beginning of the year, the company was producing about 65 million cubic metres per day. Since then, baseline production at operational fields has fallen by 12.6 million cubic metres per day, of which around 5 million have not yet been compensated. According to Mukhiddinov, workovers and routine maintenance have been performed on 79 wells since the start of the year. By the end of the year, Uzbekneftegaz expects to return to the daily rate from early in the year through well interventions, new wells, wellhead compressor stations, and sidetracking in decommissioned wells. Even in this case, the company forecasts annual production will fall short of last year's level.

The chief geologist sees the greatest potential for new reserves in the Ustyurt region. According to him, operations are now being carried out at depths greater than 5,000 metres instead of the previous 3,000–3,500 metres, which is more expensive and technologically complex. In 2026, the company secured licences for 42 investment blocks, and the reserve replacement over the reporting period amounted to about 12.5 billion cubic metres against an annual target of 25 billion.

According to data from the National Statistics Committee cited by Gazeta.uz, gas production nationwide totalled 27 billion cubic metres in January–September, down from 32.3 billion a year earlier.