Gazprom Signs Strategic Cooperation Agreement with Uzbekistan's Uzbekneftegaz

Yesterday, Alexei Miller, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Gazprom gas company, Russia's largest, and Islam Karimov, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, discussed cooperation in prospecting for extraction, transportation and sales of natural gas. According to the press service of the gas concern, the meeting took place during the official visit of Gazprom's top managers to the republic on December 16 and 17.

The visit resulted in the signing a strategic cooperation agreement between Gazprom and the Uzbekneftegaz national holding company. The document provides for the long-term supplies of Uzbek gas from 2003 through 2012 and the carrying out of joint production projects under product sharing conditions. By 2005, the annual purchases of gas from Uzbekistan should reach 10 billion cubic metres.

Gazprom has also signed a contract for the purchasing, in 2003, of 5 billion cubic metres of gas by Gazexport from Uztransgaz. Another contract connected with the preparation of a feasibility study as concerned investments in the development, under product sharing conditions, of the Shakhpakhty gas condensate field was signed between Zarubezhneftegas, a subsidiary of Gazprom's, and the UzNIIPIneftegaz research company.

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