British Petroleum has announced plans to operate in Uzbekistan for several decades, according to the press service of Uzbekneftegaz.
During Baku Energy Week 2026, a meeting took place between Uzbekneftegaz Chairman Abdugani Sanginov, BP Vice President Gordon Birrell, and Senior Vice President for the Azerbaijan–Georgia–Turkey region Giovanni Cristofoli.
Both sides praised their constructive cooperation, including BP’s participation in the production sharing agreement (PSA) project in Uzbekistan’s Ustyurt region. The parties also discussed revising deadlines for interpreting geophysical data.
Sanginov proposed accelerating the Ustyurt project and launching drilling operations by the end of 2027. Participants exchanged views on optimizing project phases and speeding up implementation.
BP representatives stressed that long-term, sustainable partnerships are a core principle of the company’s strategy. “We operate in countries for decades. We are entering the Uzbek market not for short-term cooperation, but for a strategic partnership lasting 50–60 years,” they said.
Sanginov, in turn, highlighted key factors for BP’s success in Uzbekistan, noting the urgent need for modern technologies across the oil and gas sector. “From drilling to the entire production chain, our company needs new approaches. Many processes still rely on outdated technologies,” he said.
The British side said it has advanced capabilities for deep seismic data analysis using high-performance supercomputers and modern algorithms based in the United States. BP expressed readiness to deploy these technologies in Uzbekistan’s oil and gas industry.
BP is a London-based multinational oil and gas company and the world’s second-largest publicly traded firm in the sector. Its largest division is BP America.
On May 13, 2026, BP, Azerbaijan’s SOCAR, and Uzbekneftegaz signed a PSA for six oil and gas blocks in Uzbekistan’s North Ustyurt region: Boyterak, Terengkuduk, Birkori, Kharoy, Karakalpak, and Kulboy. BP holds a 40% stake, while Uzbekneftegaz and SOCAR each hold 30%.
The agreement was initially signed on July 24, 2025, between SOCAR, Uzbekneftegaz, and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy. The project is currently in its first phase, with SOCAR acting as operator and conducting seismic surveys.
