Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Nov. 20 / Trend D.Azizov /
Uzbekneftegaz National Holding Company has extended a tender until early 2013 to construct a booster compressor station at the Uchkir field in the Bukhara region worth $59.1 million. This is due to the lack of competitive bids, a holding representative told Trend today.
The tender was previously announced in October 2012 and bids planned to be summarised by late 2012. Now the tender results are planned to be summed up during the first quarter of 2013.
According to the rules of the tender, the winner must implement the manufacturing and engineering of a booster compressor station with a capacity of 2.2 billion cubic meters of gas a year, as well as supply equipment. A booster compressor station will be constructed by early 2014.
A booster compressor station is being constructed as part of a project to develop the fields in the Gazli region worth about $1 billion.
A booster compressor station will maintain gas extraction at the Uchkir field and at three more fields belonging to the Dayahatin group - Dayahatin, Hojikazgan and Kulbeshkak in the future to stabilise the gas supply to the Bukhara-Ural pipeline for the period up to 2040.
The construction of a booster compressor station will be financed at the expense of Uzbekneftegaz's funds.
The Gazli gas field is one of the largest in the region. It has been exploited since 1961. Initial gas reserves hit about 500 billion cubic meters. At present, the gas reserves at this field have been exhausted.
The fields of the Gazli region are being developed to fill the hydrocarbon resource base of the republic and increase exports of gas volumes.
According to the official statistics, Uzbekistan reduced its natural gas production by 4.4 per cent up to 63.04 billion cubic meters in 2011 compared to 2010 and by 1.4 per cent to 45.595 billion cubic meters in January - September 2012.
Uzbekneftegaz, which provides over 90 per cent of the hydrocarbon production in the country, is the monopolistic operator of the oil and gas sector in Uzbekistan. Uzbekneftegaz was established in 1998 and brings together six joint stock companies.
The holding can provide natural gas production to the volume of 70 billion cubic meters and liquid hydrocarbons to the amount of eight million tons a year.