LUKoil sees 12B cu. m. Uzbek exports

UPI May 17 Russia's LUKoil will produce up to 12 billion cubic meters of gas per year in Uzbekistan, ITAR-TASS reported Tuesday. Vagit Alekperov, president of LUKoil, began construction of LUKoil's Tashkent office by saying: "The company will invest $1 billion in survey and production, and will annually produce 10-12 cubic meters of gas in several years." LUKoil is represented in Uzbekistan by the Lukoil Uzbekistan Operating Co., which operates and develops the Qandim gas fields, in the southwest of the country, on production-sharing terms. LUKoil's gas, which is expected to hit 9 billion cubic meters this year, will be exported to Russia and Europe. Russian imports of Uzbek gas began in May 2003. Uzbekistan produces approximately 60 billion cubic meters of gas per year.