Gazprom signs accords with three Central Asian states and Turkey for exit transportation for Russian gas
Gazprom, the Russian natural gas company impacted by sanctions after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, is trying to rebuild its business by signing deals for gas transportation exits via the three Central Asian former Soviet states of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan as well as its neighbour across the Black Sea, Turkey.
Gazprom has just signed contracts with Kazakhstan for gas transit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.
The documents were signed at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum held by the Russians.
Gazprom has ambitious plans to ramp up gas supplies to Central Asia and Turkey.
The company aims to deliver significantly larger volumes via the Central Asia-China Pipeline for 15 years starting in 2025.
The Central Asia-China pipeline is a network of natural gas pipelines that transport natural gas from Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan into China.
With a 55 billion cubic metres capacity, the same as the now defunct Nord Stream 1 pipeline from Russia to Germany, the 1,833-kilometres (1,140 miles) Central Asia-China Pipeline presently comprises three sections (Lines A, B, and C), running from Turkmenistan through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to China’s Uygur Xinjiang Autonomous Region.
From there, the pipeline links up with the West-to-East Gas Pipeline in China, underscoring its significance in regional energy dynamics.
Gazprom added that it had also signed a contract for the supply of gas to the north and south of Kyrgyzstan.
Larger volumes
In addition, Gazprom and Kazakhstan signed an action plan to prepare gas facilities in Central Asia to increase the transportation of Russian gas to Uzbekistan.
In June 2023, Uzbekistan concluded a two-year gas purchase agreement with Gazprom.
The daily supply volume is 9 million cubic metres and the annual volume is almost 2.8 billion cubic metres and deliveries started in October 2023.
From November 2025, Gazprom said it planned to begin supplying “significantly larger volumes” covered by 15-year contracts with Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
In February 2024, it was reported that the government of Uzbekistan intends to upgrade the republic’s main gas system in order to increase gas imports from the Russian Federation by 3.5 times from 9 million cubic metres per day to 32 mcm per day.
BOTAŞ venture
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar was also at the Russian Forum and said the Turkish Petroleum Pipeline Corporation (BOTAŞ) planned to set up a joint venture company with Gazprom as part of a plan to establish a hub in Turkey for selling natural gas.
“Significant work has been done in recent years to establish a natural gas trading centre in Turkey,” said Bayraktar.
“We are now planning to establish an operating company in partnership with BOTAŞ and Gazprom in Istanbul,” he added.
“In the coming months, we would like to carry out concrete work and realise the gas hub project,” stated Bayraktar.
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