Uzbekneftgaz, the national oil and gas company of Uzbekistan, recently organized a press tour to provide insight into its operations and the country's gas reserves. The tour aimed to shed light on the ongoing efforts to enhance gas production despite challenges posed by rising population and heightened demand for energy. During the tour, experts shared information about the Modeling Center, Central Production Dispatch Department, and explored the longevity of Uzbekistan's gas reserves, Daryo reported.
Behzod Usmanov, the first deputy chairman of Uzbekneftgaz, emphasized that gas production in the country has not declined despite growing demand driven by an increasing population. He noted that Uzbekistan possesses 287 gas fields, with 123 under the ownership of Uzbekneftgaz. Usmanov highlighted that the company is not a monopoly, as several other entities including Lukoil, Epsilon, and Industrial Energy Group are also involved in gas production. He stressed that the shortage of gas is primarily due to the rising population and increased energy demand.
"The shortage of gas produced now is due to the increase in the number of our people. People are increasing, and production capacity is also increasing. That is, the demand for energy is very high. The volume of gas production has not decreased. True, the production in our main and largest mines is decreasing. Additional measures are being taken to prevent this. In particular, new mines and wells are being drilled. Several new mines are planned to be opened this year as well," said the deputy chairman.
Modeling center
The press tour included a visit to the Modeling Center, which offers a digital representation of deposits at depths of 2.5-3 thousand meters.
"The center is engaged in digitalization of data and creation of geological, hydronomic, integrated, network models of mines within our company. From here, it is possible to see the structure of the deposits at a depth of 2.5-3 thousand meters in digital form, to monitor the data on how much gas reserves are in them, how much gas has been extracted so far. This makes it much easier to work on mines and get information about them," - said Anvar Muradov the head of the center department and noted that the cost of the project is estimated at $6.5 mn.
Key oil and gas fields in Uzbekistan are concentrated in five regions: Fergana, Surkhandarya, Bukhara, Khorezm, and Karakalpakstan. The Ustyurt region is particularly promising for new and youthful reserves.
The Central Production Dispatch Department was also a focal point of the tour, as it oversees the entire process of gas extraction, processing, and delivery to consumers. This department is responsible for managing extraction locations and optimizing production processes.
How many years will the gas reserves of Uzbekistan last?
Ulugbek Nazarov, the chairman of Ozlitineftgaz, shared essential insights during the tour. He disclosed that Uzbekistan's existing gas fields hold a remarkable 1.8 tn cubic meters of gas reserves.
"We have new mines with up to 50% and more than 50% reserves. More than 50 % of the main reserves lie in fields where gas has been extracted. For example, 30% of the reserves in the Lukoil mines were taken. Therefore, their productivity is stable. More than 50-70 % of reserves have been obtained in our main mines. That's why we need to look at productivity. It is necessary to study very deeply what is happening under the ground. We need to carry out very complex work in our mines. The reserves of the new mines that are being opened now are small," said the head of Ozlitineftgaz.
He highlighted the complexity of underground assessments and the necessity of comprehensive work in the mines.
Nazarov also highlighted significant developments in gas exploration, such as the excavation of wells as long as 3-4,000 meters, with some reaching up to 6 kilometers in the Ustyurt mine—a milestone in the country's gas sector. Nazarov emphasized that this innovative approach has revealed an impressive 80% of deposits in Bukhara and Kashkadarya, while approximately 20% of gas fields remain, primarily in smaller fields.
Addressing concerns about potential depletion of gas reserves, Nazarov responded to a query from a "Daryo" reporter regarding the country's annual extraction rate of over 50 bn cubic meters. The reporter pondered whether reserves could be exhausted in 35 to 40 years at this rate. Nazarov dispelled this notion, asserting that new mines are being actively opened, leading to the discovery of new gas reserves. He compared Uzbekistan's reserves to Russia's, highlighting Russia's significantly larger gas reserves of 18 tn cubic meters, with an annual extraction rate of 560 bn cubic meters.
"E-con" project
Nazarov introduced the "E-con" project, aimed at optimizing gas extraction efficiency. As part of this initiative, Uzbekistan's energy research and design institute will devise a strategy to enhance the nation's oil and gas potential. Nazarov explained that "E-mining" signifies the digitalization of mines, enabling optimal resource utilization. By integrating all mines into a single system, the project offers a mechanism to regulate gas production more effectively. This digital platform allows real-time monitoring of well operations, with data updated every 5 minutes. Laboratory analysis complements this effort, enabling precise determination of oil and gas reserves. Currently, all 1,500 wells within Uzbekneftgaz-owned fields are incorporated into this modeling system.
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