Interfax
September 2

Uzbekistan has completed the construction of the Shurtan-Sherabad gas pipeline in the country's southern regions bypassing Turkmenistan, a source in the leadership of the Uzbek national oil and gas holding company told Interfax.

He said the 90 billion sum pipeline was built at the expense of the holding company and will be operated by the Uztransgaz company. The 193-kilometer line has an annual throughput capacity of about 1,000 cubic meters.

U.S. Zeromax built the most difficult section in the mountains between the 81st and 167th kilometers, while Uzneftegazstroi built the rest.

Natural gas previously was transported to south Uzbekistan along the Kelif-Dushanbe and Kelif-Mubarek pipelines which mainly run across Turkmenistan.

The commissioning of the new pipeline will put an end to Uzbek gas transit via Turkmenistan and fully satisfy the needs of households and industry for natural gas in southern Uzbekistan. The same route can be used for exporting gas to Tajikistan.

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