International Cooperation in The Gas Industry of Qashqadaryo Region (The Case of The Shurtan Gas Fields)

Abstract

This article examines international cooperation in the gas industry of Qashqadaryo Region, focusing on the Shurtan gas fields, which hold the largest gas and condensate reserves in Uzbekistan. Drawing on archival materials, government resolutions, and periodical sources, the study traces the modernization of the Shurtan fields from the 1990s onward, including the construction of the gas-processing facility, the compressor station, and the Shurtan Gas-Chemical Complex for polyethylene production. Particular attention is given to the involvement of foreign companies and financial institutions from the United States, Japan, Italy, Germany, France, Russia, South Africa, Malaysia, and elsewhere, as well as to later projects such as the Oltin Yo'l GTL plant and the expansion of the Shurtan Gas-Chemical Complex’s production capacity. The findings show that international collaboration played a decisive role in modernizing the region’s fuel and energy sector, expanding export volumes, attracting foreign investment, and raising the economic potential and living standards of Qashqadaryo Region.