Kazakhstan is currently exploring the possibility of exporting crude oil and petroleum products to Uzbekistan. This was announced by Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy, Yerlan Akkenzhenov, on the sidelines of the Regional Environmental Summit (RES 2026) in Astana, as reported by BAQ.KZ.
According to the Minister, the two nations are actively working to broaden their energy cooperation, focusing on both the transit of resources and direct supply chains.
"We are working closely on the transit of Russian gas and oil to Uzbekistan. Furthermore, we are looking into the possibility of supplying Kazakh products—specifically crude oil and refined petroleum products—to the Uzbek market," the Minister stated.
Akkenzhenov noted that the partnership is built on mutual support and the sharing of expertise, extending beyond the energy sector into other areas of the economy. He also revealed that several large-scale projects are under discussion with Uzbekistan, particularly in the fields of petrochemistry and oil refining.
The RES 2026 summit in Astana serves as a platform for regional leaders to address climate change, water resource management, and sustainable development.
This development follows a mid-April announcement by Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, who stated that Russia also plans to increase its natural gas and oil exports to Uzbekistan while expanding its own energy cooperation with the country.
According to the Customs Committee, Uzbekistan’s imports of oil and petroleum products surged by 42.2% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same period last year, rising from $315.9 million to $449.1 million.
The primary driver of this growth was gasoline. Imports more than doubled, jumping from 204.9 million to 428.2 million liters, with the total cost increasing from $119.6 million to $246.2 million. Interestingly, the average price remained stable at approximately $0.57–$0.58 per liter. Diesel imports also saw a significant uptick, growing 38% by volume (to 125,500 tons) and 33% by value (to $98 million), even as the average price per kilogram dipped slightly from $0.81 to $0.78.
Data from the National Statistics Committee shows that for the full year of 2025, Uzbekistan imported $2.01 billion worth of oil and petroleum products. Refined products accounted for $1.33 billion of that total—a 7.4% increase over 2024—with gasoline making up the bulk of the shipments. Diesel supplies saw an even more dramatic expansion, tripling in both volume and value to reach 397,300 tons at a cost of $320.6 million.
These Kazakh volumes, however, remain a fraction of what Uzbekistan imports from Russia. According to the UN Comtrade database, Uzbekistan purchased 478,700 tons of Russian crude in 2024 for $282.9 million. Notably, based on 2024 data, Kazakh crude was more cost-effective than its Russian counterpart, priced at $0.56 per kilogram compared to $0.59.
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