Uzbekistan is courting Western gas majors after signing a production‑sharing deal with BP last month. Deputy minister Khurshed Mustafayev said the government will invite European and U.S. firms to develop fields under similar contracts, keeping output inside the country. The push comes as the Central Asian state holds roughly 2 trillion cubic meters of proven gas reserves yet faces declining output from aging wells, significantly.

The BP agreement covers six blocks in the western North Ustyurt region, giving the UK oil major a 40% stake while Azerbaijan’s SOCAR and state‑owned Uzbekneftegaz retain the remainder. Mustafayev noted that gas will remain a long‑term pillar of the energy mix as the economy expands over 6% annually, driving higher domestic demand, a significant factor.

Uzbekistan is also pouring money into the national grid upgrades, with ACWA Power leading transmission and battery projects. Mustafayev said the state plans to spend about $2 billion on high‑voltage lines and a similar sum on low‑voltage networks, though no timeline was set. The combined push for foreign gas partners and infrastructure investment aims to secure supply as renewable share climbs toward 25% by 2030.