Uzbekneftegaz, the national oil and gas company of Uzbekistan, has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Chinese company XIBU. Both sides will launch a large-scale deep drilling program, marking the beginning of a new round of oil and gas resource development cycle in Uzbekistan.

30 deep well cooperation landing

According to the news department of the Uzbek company, Uzbekneftegaz has signed a strategic agreement with Chinese company XIBU. According to the agreement, both parties plan to drill 30 oil and gas wells in Uzbekistan between 2026 and 2027.

This cooperation is the first phase of the long-term cooperation framework between the two parties. According to the plan, a total of 105 exploration and production wells will be drilled in Uzbekistan from 2026 to 2029. The agreement was reached during the official visit of Uzbekneftegaz Chairman Abdugani Sanginov to China in early March 2026. During the visit, the Ukrainian side also engaged in negotiations with several leading oil and gas companies.

High difficulty deep gas reservoir development

This drilling project is mainly aimed at natural gas blocks confirmed to have potential through seismic surveys. The new well is designed to be drilled at a depth of 5500 to 6000 meters and belongs to a deep high-pressure and high-temperature gas reservoir. The relevant geological conditions are complex, with underground pressures reaching up to 1000 atmospheres and temperatures reaching up to 200 degrees Celsius. Existing oil and gas wells face significant technical and safety challenges in such environments, thus requiring higher-level drilling equipment and engineering capabilities.

Upgrading China Ukraine energy cooperation

XIBU is one of the enterprises in the China National Petroleum Corporation system and also one of the four major oil and gas service companies in the world. According to the agreement, it will deploy 10 drilling rigs to participate in the operation, each with a lifting capacity of 450 tons. Key words: the Belt and Road news network, China Uzbekistan cooperation, large-scale deep drilling plan

The project aims not only to expand Uzbekistan's geological exploration scale and increase natural gas reserves, but also to enhance drilling safety under complex conditions and reduce accident risks. From a strategic perspective, this cooperation is seen as an important step to strengthen Uzbekistan's energy security, and also further deepen China Uzbekistan the Belt and Road industrial cooperation in the oil and gas field.Editor/Gao Xue