China’s CNPC to Drill 30 Exploration Wells in Uzbekistan
Uzbekneftegaz signed a contract with China’s CNPC XIBU Drilling Engineering Company Limited for drilling 30 exploration wells. This was reported by the company’s press service.
Work under the contract will be carried out from 2026 to 2028 on newly identified prospective subsoil blocks in the Ustyurt region. The planned well depth will range from 5,000 to 5,500 m. The companies aim to identify hydrocarbon reserves in formations with abnormally high pressure and temperature.
The Ustyurt oil and gas region is one of the largest in Uzbekistan (other regions include Bukhara-Khiva, Gissar, Surkhandarya, and Fergana). It was discovered in 1964, and the area of its prospective lands amounts to 105.1 thousand km².
The Ustyurt territory spans Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. Within the Uzbek part of the region, three distinct landscapes are identified: the Ustyurt Plateau, the Southern Aral area, and the Aral Sea.
The geological age of the Ustyurt Plateau is estimated at 21–23 million years. The Ustyurt Basin, in terms of its size, sedimentary volume, and initial hydrocarbon resource potential, is classified as a megabasin.
Extensive exploration activities in the region have led to the discovery of multiple fields, including Kokchalak, Karachalak, Berdakh, East Berdakh, Surgil, North Aral, West Aral, Arslan, Kuyi Surgil, North Berdakh, Kushkair, and others.
Kazakhstan is also showing strong interest in this region, although attracting investors has been slow due to its remoteness and geological complexity. However, progress is being made — in June 2025, during an auction held by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy, China’s Kazakhstan Dinghua Energy obtained rights to explore and develop the Ustyurt-2 block in the Mangystau region. Currently, the Ustyurt block is also attracting interest from bp.
