Russia's Gazprom company plans to significantly increase the volume of natural gas supplies to Central Asian countries over the next five years. This was reported by Zamin.uz.
This information is based on data from Gazprombank's economic forecasting center. According to the data, new routes are being sought for gas volumes intended for the European market but left unused due to international sanctions.
In this process, the Central Asian region is recognized as a key strategic market. Experts estimate the volume of gas supplies to this region at around 19-20 billion cubic meters annually.
By 2030, Gazprom's export volume to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan may increase more than twofold compared to current figures. In particular, Uzbekistan is expected to play a leading role in this process.
It is estimated that gas imports to the country could rise from the current 3 billion cubic meters to 12 billion cubic meters. The main reason for this growth is the declining volumes of domestic gas production in Uzbekistan.
As a result, the need for external supply is increasing. Meanwhile, the situation in Kazakhstan remains uncertain.
Nevertheless, the country hopes to implement a project to deliver Russian gas to China through its territory. This project could not only supply gas to Kazakhstan's northeastern regions but also provide an additional 10 billion cubic meters of gas annually.
It is worth noting that due to international sanctions, Gazprom's gas exports to the European market have decreased nearly fivefold. Even if the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline is fully operational, the company does not have the capacity to redirect all excess gas volumes to the Chinese market.
Therefore, Central Asia is expected to become not only a geographically convenient region for Gazprom but also one of its main energy partners. This process could bring energy relations in the region to a new level.
