Today, in Tashkent, as part of the working visit of Vladimir Putin, Chairman of the Russian Government to Uzbekistan, Alexey Miller, Chairman of Gazprom's Management Committee took part in a meeting with Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime-Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan. In addition, Alexey Miller held talks with Ulugbek Nazarov, Chairman of Uzbekneftegaz Management Committee.

The parties discussed issues related to natural gas supply and transportation via Uzbekistan’s territory. In the course of the talks the parties agreed on a price formula for Uzbek gas purchased by Gazprom as well as on the construction of new gas transportation capacities along the Central Asia – Center gas pipeline corridor based on a joint venture.

Background:

The Agreement on Strategic Cooperation in the gas industry was entered into by NHC Uzbekneftegaz and Gazprom on December 17, 2002. In particular, the Agreement stipulates long-term purchases of Uzbek gas for the period between 2003 and 2012, Gazprom’s participation in natural gas production projects under the Production Sharing Agreement terms, as well as cooperation in the Uzbek gas transmission infrastructure development and Central Asian gas transportation via the Republican territory. Cooperation under the PSA terms to resume gas extraction from the Sakhpakhty field is a pilot gas production project. On April 14, 2004, the PSA came into effect. Said 0.5 bcmpa project opens the way toward implementing a larger gas exploration and production project in Uzbekistan’s Ustyurt region under the identical terms.

On February 5, 2005, Gazprom and Uztransgaz (sub-holding of Uzbekneftegaz) signed a Mid-Term Agreement on natural gas transmission via the Republic of Uzbekistan over 2006 to 2010. The Agreement pursues the objective of transporting Central Asian and, first of all, Turkmen natural gas with the use of the Central Asia –Center (CAC) and Bukhara –Ural gas transmission systems running through the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Within the frames of the January 25, 2006 Agreement signed between Gazprom and Uzbekneftegaz the work is underway on geological survey of subsurface resources in the Ustyurt region, Republic of Uzbekistan.