Kazakhstan assesses potential Russian natural gas supply transit volumes for Uzbekistan

Kazakhstan is considering the possibility of supplying at least 800mn cubic metres (mcm) of natural gas to Uzbekistan by the end of the year, with the gas transited from Russia, TASS reported, citing Energy Minister Almassadam Satkaliyev. 

The supply would come under a larger plan to supply around 2.8bn cubic metres (bcm) of gas, based on agreements previously made with Uzbekistan. 

"We will look at implemented regimes but the 800 million cubic metres at least will be considered as the possible gas supply," the minister was quoted as saying.

Russia recently launched supplies of natural gas to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan. In an agreement spanning two years with Russia's Gazprom, Uzbekistan, which each year suffers gas shortages, will import 9 mcm of Russian natural gas per day. The development marks the first time ever that Uzbekistan, a gas producer and exporter itself, has begun importing gas from Russia.