The consequences of a man-made accident at the '25 Years of Independence' gas field in the Boysun district of Surxondaryo region, which has been ongoing since September 2024, are planned to be fully eliminated in the first half of 2027. This was announced by the chairman of the board of 'Uzbekneftgaz', Abdugani Sanginov, in an interview with the Uzdiplomat publication.
According to him, the company acknowledges that the situation in Boysun is causing serious inconvenience and damage to the population. 'The situation in Boysun is indeed causing great harm to our people. When our esteemed president came here, he gave me instructions three or four times: we must close Boysun,' he said.
To solve the problem, technical calculations were carried out with foreign partners. As a result, a contract was signed with CCDC, a subsidiary of China's CNPC corporation. Sanginov stated that the contract registration process is being finalized, and about 20-25 specialists from the company have already arrived at the Boysun field and begun practical work.
'By the end of the year, equipment will be delivered to the 'M-25' field. By the end of December 2026, drilling of four additional wells will begin. In the first half of 2027, [the accident] will be 100 percent closed,' he said.
When asked why a Chinese company was chosen and what Uzbekistan would provide in return, Sanginov said that proposals from Russian (Rosneft), US (Schlumberger), and South Korean companies were studied. 'When we, together with Uzbek engineers, studied proposals from two or three companies from three countries, the best proposal and technical solution turned out to be from China's CNPC corporation. It suited us, and we chose this company,' he said.
Sanginov emphasized that settlements with the Chinese company will be made on a financial basis, not through the transfer of natural resources. 'Settlements with them will be in cash,' he noted. The total cost of the project, the amount planned to be paid to the Chinese company, as well as the extent of damage caused by the accident, have not yet been disclosed.
It is worth recalling that on September 1, 2024, during drilling at well No. 604, an accident caused a leak of gas with a high content of hydrogen sulfide, resulting in four deaths. The local population was evacuated. In March 2025, a gas leak occurred from another well, No. 202. To prevent further leaks, the gas at the field was set on fire.
Energy Minister Jorabek Mirzamakhmudov called the accident an 'emergency situation,' noting the complexity of the field. Despite a deadline of up to six months to eliminate the consequences, it has not yet been fully resolved.
In February of this year, the president announced that a scientific solution had been found together with international partners regarding the accident at the 'M-25' gas field. 'We will stop the accident and launch a project that will give a big boost to the economy of Surxondaryo,' the head of state emphasized.
The 'M-25' field is currently the largest undeveloped gas field in Uzbekistan. Gas reserves are estimated at over 150 billion cubic meters of raw gas. The main part of the reserves is characterized by a high content of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide.
In April 2017, the government of Uzbekistan signed a production sharing agreement with a consortium of investors — Gas Project Development Central Asia, Altmax Holding, and 'Uzneftegazdobycha'. The total cost of the entire complex is estimated at $5.8 billion. The project is being implemented under PSA terms for 35 years.
Drilling work was carried out by Eriell, while the design and construction of the gas processing plant and infrastructure were carried out by Enter Engineering. Both companies are linked to businessman Bakhtiyor Fazilov. To export Russian equipment for the Surxondaryo gas field, VEB.RF and Gazprombank provided a loan of $900 million in 2021.
As of November 2023, $1.45 billion had been invested in the development of the field, drilling of 20 wells was completed, and 11 gas wells were successfully tested. Foundation work and construction of metal structures were almost completed.
Source: www.gazeta.uz