Recently, the Chairman of Uzbekistan National Oil and Gas Company held a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador to Uzbekistan, and the two sides had in-depth discussions on the possibility of long-term supply of Jet A-1 aviation fuel from China. Affected by the geopolitical situation, regional route adjustments have led to an increase in the number of flights stopping in Central Asia and Uzbekistan. The expected demand for aviation fuel in the second half of 2026 is about 375000 tons, an increase of 27% compared to before. Uzbekistan is promoting the diversification of import sources, extending from existing markets such as Georgia and Iraq to the Chinese market.

Long term fuel supply put on the agenda

Chairman Sanginov of Uzbekistan National Oil and Gas Company met with Chinese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Yu Jun to discuss the possibility of long-term supply of Jet A-1 aviation fuel from China. The Ukrainian side stated that this move will help expand the channels for importing aviation fuel and establish a more stable supply system. Both sides agreed to strengthen the support provided by the Chinese Embassy in Uzbekistan in assisting Uzbekistan's national oil and gas company to establish cooperation with major energy enterprises such as China Aviation Oil and China Petrochemical. The specific supply quantity, price, and schedule have not been announced yet.

Demand growth drives cooperation

Uzbekistan expects a domestic demand for aviation fuel of approximately 375000 tons in the second half of 2026, an increase of 27% compared to before. The reason for the increase in demand is due to changes in regional and international routes, with an increase in the number of flights stopping in Central Asia and Uzbekistan. Uzbekistan plans to meet most of its demand through domestic production, and Uzbekistan National Oil and Gas Company plans to produce 310000 tons of aviation fuel by the end of 2026. However, due to export restrictions on petroleum products imposed by some partner countries, the country is actively seeking additional supply channels and has imported from markets such as Georgia and Iraq to supplement domestic production. Keywords: the Belt and Road news, aviation fuel, oil and gas

Continuous deepening of energy cooperation

Uzbekistan National Oil and Gas Company has carried out cooperation projects with Chinese enterprises in multiple fields of the oil and gas industry, involving geological exploration, drilling construction, oilfield services, and advanced technology introduction. Chinese companies participating in the cooperation include PetroChina, CNPC Chuanqing Drilling, Oriental Geophysical Exploration, Jerry Group, Honghua Group, etc. If this long-term import cooperation of aviation fuel is implemented, it will open up new fields on the basis of existing oil and gas cooperation. After the meeting, both parties are expected to continue to promote the docking work with China Aviation Fuel and Sinopec, and evaluate the feasibility of importing aviation fuel from China in the long term.Editor/Gao Xue