Uzbekistan, Tashkent, June 23 / Trend D.Azizov /
The Japan Oil, Gas & Metals National Corp. (JOGMEC) will carry out exploration work in the fields of Baysun in the Surkhandarya region and Sangruntau in the Navoi region of Uzbekistan, The Uzbek State Geology and Mineral Resources Committee told Trend.
The Committee reported that the Uzbek Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade the Ministry, the State Geology and Mineral Resources Committee, Uzbekneftegaz and JOGMEC signed agreement on exploring the development of oil-shale deposits in Uzbekistan in June.
Under the agreement, JOGMEC will carry out over wrapping exploration work during the year to confirm the results of previous exploratory research.
Following the exploration work and evaluation of deposits, the Japanese side will decide on further course of the project and the feasibility of establishing a joint venture for production of shale oil, the committee reported.
According to the committee, Uzbekistan's oil shale reserves are estimated at 47 billion tons, while output of the diesel fraction from the resin shale of the Sangruntau deposit is about 30 percent, which is the highest among the major deposits of this type in the country.
In 2010, Uzbekneftegaz started to develop a preliminary feasibility study on the project for construction of the plant for complex processing of oil shale deposits on the basis of Sangruntau in Navoi region worth $ 150 million in 2011-2016.
According to the preliminary estimates, the refinery will produce 300,000 tons of oil and 500,000 tons of aromatic hydrocarbons per year.
The project is expected to be financed by Uzbekneftegaz, the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan and foreign borrowings.
Based on the official statistics, Uzbekistan reduced production of oil and gas condensate by 7.3 percent in 2009 to 4,455 million tons compared to 2008. These include the oil production declined by 9 percent - to 2.331 million tons and gas condensate - by 5.4 percent - to 2,124 million tons.
Uzbekistan increased gasoline production by 10.8 percent - to 1.622 million tons, kerosene - 12.2 percent - up 405.700 tons, diesel fuel - 1.2 percent - to 1,302 million tons in 2009. Production of fuel oil fell by 7.6 percent - to 496,800 tons and bitumen - 8.6 percent - to 240,600 tons.
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