Uzbekistan, Tashkent, June 18 / Trend, D. Azizov /
Uzbekistan's proven oil reserves in 2011 is estimated at 0.1 billion tons (0.6 billion barrels), which corresponds to the figure of 2010, British Petroleum (BP) said in its World Energy 2011 report on the official website on Monday.
The report says that in 2011 in Uzbekistan, oil production amounted to 3.6 million tons (on average 86,000 barrels per day) compared to 3.7 million tons in the previous year (87,000 bpd).
The volume of oil consumption in the country, according to the BP's current report, increased by 0.7 per cent, up to 4.4 million tons. Average daily oil consumption in the country in 2011 amounted to 91,000 barrels compared to 90,000 per day a year before.
According to BP, proven gas reserves in 2011 amounted to 1.6 trillion cubic meters which also corresponds to estimates in 2010.
According to BP, last year Uzbekistan reduced natural gas production by 4.4 per cent compared to 2010 to 57 billion cubic meters of gas.
Gas consumption in the country last year increased by 7.9 per cent up to 49.1 billion cubic meters.
BP's report says that energy consumption in Uzbekistan in 2011 increased by 6.8 per cent up to 52.2 million tons of oil equivalent. This means 44.2 million tons of oil equivalent accounts for natural gas, 4.4 million tons -oil, 1.3 million tons - coal and 2.3 million - water power.
As was previously reported, at present nearly 25 per cent of the total hydrocarbon resources, including the Bukhara-Khiva region - 75 per cent, South-West Hissar - 35 per cent, Surkhandarya - 12 per cent , Fergana - 22 per cent and Ustyurt - 15 per cent have been developed in Uzbekistan.
According to NHC Uzbekneftegaz, the monopoly operator of oil and gas industry in Uzbekistan, some 232 hydrocarbon fields were discovered in Uzbekistan in early 2011 including 183 gas fields. Some 103 discovered fields are under development, 60 were prepared for development leaving 69 still to be explored.
Today the proven reserves of hydrocarbons in Uzbekistan hit 2.517 million tons of oil equivalents, about 65 per cent of which account for natural gas reserves.
Uzbekistan plans to ensure annual growth of reserves on average by 1.5 times which is up to 3.8 million tons of oil equivalent in 2011-2020.
A 3D seismic prospecting volume is planned to be increased from 1640 square kilometres in 2010 up to 4000 square kilometres in the next 10 years. Annual production, exploration and parametric drilling will increase by 2.5 times and reach 300,000 linear metres per year.
According to Uzbek official statistics, in 2011, oil production in Uzbekistan decreased by 5.8 per cent compared to 2010 down to 1.889 million tons, gas condensate - 9.8 per cent - to 1.696 million tons and natural gas production declined by 4.4 per cent - to 63.04 billion cubic meters.