Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Sept. 12 / Trend D. Azizov /
Uzbekistan believes the discovery of a large gas reserve in the Absheron field in Azerbaijan will strengthen the country's position as a stable hydrocarbon supplier to Europe.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev announced the discovery of the new major gas reserve on the Absheron field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea last Friday.
"Certainly, the discovery of the large gas reserves on the Absheron field in the Caspian Sea is Azerbaijan's great victory. It will strengthen the country's position not only as an oil exporter, but also as a potential gas exporter to the West, specifically European countries," an anonymous source told Trend from the management office of a foreign company operating in the Uzbek oil and gas industry. "In addition, the country obtains even bigger opportunities to meet its domestic needs."
The source recalled that Uzbekistan carries out gas exports to Europe via Central Asia - Center and Bukhara - Ural pipelines.
In addition, a new system of oil and gas pipelines is being developed toward China. The first branch of the Turkmenistan - Uzbekistan - Kazakhstan - China pipeline was commissioned in early 2010. According to calculations, the launching of the second pipeline will allow for gas supplies of up to 40 billion cubic meters a year.
According to international experts, China will become a strategic market for the supply of Uzbek gas by 2017.