Licenses for oil fields held by Sanoat Energetika Group (Saneg) have been revoked, State Assets Management Agency Director Sokhibjon Murodov said at a news conference Thursday.
“As far as I know, these licenses have been revoked because the licensed fields were not put into economic use and the license conditions were not met,” Murodov said. The Geology Ministry is developing measures for the effective use of the fields, he said.
Murodov did not say how many fields were affected, where they are located, or how many Saneg still holds usage rights to.
Speaking about why strategic oil fields went to a private company without open auctions, he said the fields themselves were never privatized. Saneg received only licenses granting subsoil use rights, he said.
Before 2023-2024, the first applicant for a field could obtain a license by paying the set fees, Murodov said. Hydrocarbon licenses have since been moved to auctions.
He also said the state has taken back the Fergana oil refinery from Saneg after the company missed purchase payments because of financial difficulties on other projects.
“The state asset has now been returned,” Murodov said.
He said the contract allowed the seller to terminate unilaterally if payments were delayed by three months. The agency did so on the advice of international lawyers, after warning Saneg, he said.
The government's 100% stake in the Fergana oil refinery was sold to Saneg in May 2022 for $100 million. The public learned in June 2026 that the refinery had returned to full state ownership, but officials did not comment at the time.
