Uzbekistan Offers BP, Socar Upstream Access

Uzbekistan has offered Azerbaijan’s state-run Socar, in partnership with UK major BP, the right to jointly explore three onshore blocks in the Usturt region: Aralomorsk, Samsko-Kosbulak and Baiterek.

The January 29 proposal came a day after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Socar and Kazakhstan’s state-run KazMunaiGas n various issues, including exploration in the Caspian Sea, specifically a joint study of geological and geophysical data to explore for hydrocarbons.

The deputy prime minister of Uzbekistan Alisher Sultanov met Socar's vice president for geology and geophysics Bahram Huseinov and representatives of BP to discuss further areas of expansion of co-operation. Socar and BP are partners in oil and gas production in the Azeri sector of the Caspian, but Uzbekistan is landlocked.

According to Uzbekneftegaz, Socar and BP have expressed interest in seismic and geophysical work on the basis of a study of the materials provided on these investment blocks. Following the meeting, the parties agreed to continue the dialogue in the designated areas.

Socar and Uzbekneftegaz signed a MoU for co-operation in oil and gas field exploration and in May 2017 Uzbekneftegaz signed two more MoUs with BP and Socar on joint geological exploration in Uzbekistan.