Uzbekistan extracted 9.6 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas in the first quarter of 2026, a 15% decline compared to 11.3 bcm in the same period of 2025, according to data from the State Statistics Committee reviewed by Gazeta.
In March alone, production fell to 2.7 bcm, a 30.8% drop year-on-year. Daily output decreased from 125.8 million cubic meters (mcm) in March 2025 to 87.1 mcm in March 2026. In February 2026, daily production stood at nearly 114 mcm.
Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamahmudov, speaking at the Energy Week in Tashkent on May 12, described the decline as expected. “We have said this before; we are seeing a natural decline year after year. The drop in gas production was obvious, and we have shown it. The main goal is to stabilize and maintain volumes,” he stated.
The minister noted that to address the issue, Uzbekneftegaz and partners are conducting drilling operations, purchasing new equipment, carrying out geological exploration, and preparing new fields. “In particular, cooperation with SOCAR and BP is aimed at discovering new fields in the Ustyurt region,” Mirzamahmudov added.
When asked about the main sources of decline, the minister pointed to mature fields. “The main decline is occurring at Shurtan, in the Bukhara-Khiva and Kashkadarya regions, at those old fields that, as we have always said, are 85-90% depleted,” he said.
In late December 2025, the Energy Ministry head announced plans to stabilize the multi-year production decline through new fields. A newly discovered field in the Muynak district, featuring the country's highest-flow well, is expected to help.
Former first deputy chairman of Uzbekneftegaz, Behzod Usmanov, in November 2022 published a production forecast through 2026. According to the chart, natural decline at existing fields would continue, requiring compensation of 4.6 bcm in 2024, 7.1 bcm in 2025, and 9.6 bcm in 2026 from exploration to maintain output at 34.1 bcm.
Gazeta previously reported that in 2024, Uzbekneftegaz planned to spend over $320 million on drilling gas wells, $45 million on repairs, and $79.6 million on geological exploration to produce 29.3 bcm of gas — 4.8 bcm less than earlier forecasts.
In January 2026, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced large-scale inspections at the State Assets Management Agency and Uzbekneftegaz, revealing embezzlement worth billions of soums.
As of August 2021, Uzbekneftegaz held 111 fields with 50% of current reserves, or 934.1 bcm of gas. Since then, production has fallen from 53.8 bcm in 2021 to 42.3 bcm in 2025, a 21.3% drop.
Uzbekneftegaz produced 25.2 bcm of gas in 2025, below projections. For 2026-2027, plans include stabilizing output, increasing reserves, and boosting processing capacity.
Gazeta has previously noted discrepancies in official gas production data. According to industrial output reports, 42.3 bcm was produced in 2025, up 1 bcm (2.4%) from 41.3 bcm in 2024. However, initial 2024 statistics showed 44.6 bcm, a difference of 3.3 bcm — nearly 8% of annual output, equivalent to roughly one month's production.
Source: www.gazeta.uz