Uzbek Fields Raise Lukoil’s 1Q Gas Production
Russian independent Lukoil announced May 13 that it increased gas production by 12% year-on-year to 9bn m3 in the first quarter of 2019 thanks to rising Uzbek output.
“As a result of the launch of the second stage of the Kandym gas processing plant production in Uzbekistan in the first quarter of 2019, (Lukoil's share of output) increased to 3.8bn m3, which is 33% higher year on year,” the company said in a statement.
Domestic gas production stood at 4.4bn m3, representing a drop of around 2% compared with 1Q18. Lukoil CEO Vagit Alekperov said on April 25 that the company plans to invest $2bn in its Uzbek gas projects. Overall gas output totalled 33.54bn m3 in 2018. Production from Uzbek fields grew by 67% year on year to 13.42bn m3. The company expects Uzbek output to reach 18bn m3 in 2020.
Meanwhile, the Russian independent’s oil production (excluding the West Qurna-2 project in Iraq) rose 1.5% year-on-year to 21.2mn mt in the first quarter of the year.