On October 22, 2026, a high-level meeting was held at the headquarters of Uzbekistan Oil and Gas Company in Tashkent. The chairman of the company, Abdugani Sanginov, sat face-to-face with a delegation led by Zhou Xinxin, the general manager of PetroChina. The scale of cooperation between the two sides has exceeded 1 billion US dollars. This time, not only was the long-term supply of petroleum products discussed, but also oil and gas exploration, post accident gas field handling, and even the possibility of establishing a permanent representative office of PetroChina in Tashkent was discussed. From the supply of petroleum products to the promotion of joint projects, from talent cultivation to mechanism construction, this meeting has outlined a clearer roadmap for oil and gas cooperation between the two countries.

Long term oil supply and joint projects

According to the news office of Uzbekistan Oil and Gas Company, the two sides discussed the possibility of long-term supply of petroleum products to ensure stable supply in the domestic market of Uzbekistan. The total scale of cooperation between the company and PetroChina has exceeded 1 billion US dollars, covering import contracts, service businesses, and joint projects. Both sides also discussed the issue of diversified sources of petroleum product supply and expressed willingness to establish long-term supply mechanisms and coordination and cooperation mechanisms among relevant enterprises. In terms of oil and gas exploration and development, both parties reviewed the cooperation achievements in drilling, geological exploration, seismic exploration, improving gas recovery rate, digitization, engineering design, and equipment supply. The projects participated by Western Drilling, Oriental Geophysical Exploration, Chuanqing Drilling, and CNOOC Logging aim to enhance the technical capabilities of Uzbekistan's oil and gas industry. Both sides also discussed the aftermath of the M-25 gas field accident, and according to the relevant plan, the problems caused by the accident will be dealt with through drilling rescue wells. This issue involves multiple aspects such as technical solutions, construction organization, and safety control, requiring close collaboration between the teams of both parties. The progress of accident aftermath work will also accumulate experience for handling similar issues in the future, which has practical significance for improving the safety management level of Uzbekistan's oil and gas industry. Keywords: the Belt and Road News Network, Petroleum, International, Uzbekistan

Establishing representative offices and nurturing talents

The meeting also proposed the establishment of a permanent representative office of PetroChina in Tashkent and the establishment of corresponding administrative management and coordination mechanisms to promote joint projects between the two sides. The establishment of a permanent representative office will help both parties form a more efficient coordination mechanism in daily communication, project coordination, and resource allocation, providing organizational support for the continuous promotion of joint projects. In terms of talent cultivation, both sides discussed supporting the Tashkent branch of the Russian State University of Gubkin Oil and Gas to cultivate engineering and technical talents in the oil and gas industry. From establishing permanent institutions to supporting talent cultivation in universities, the cooperation between the two sides is extending from the level of a single project to the level of mechanism and capacity building, laying a more solid foundation for long-term cooperation.Editor/Gao Xue