Eric Watkins
Senior Correspondent
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 20 -- State-owned Uzbekneftegaz has started construction of a $63.6 million LPG unit at its gas processing subsidiary Shurtanneftegaz in the Kashkadarya region of Uzbekistan.
Shurtanneftegaz, one of three gas processing companies in Uzbekneftegaz, processes 11 billion cu m/year of gas.
After three stages of construction, the plant will produce 175,000 tonnes/year of propane-butane mix by 2010. After the first stage of construction, to be completed by yearend, the unit will reach a capacity of 45,000 tonnes/year.
Uzbekneftegaz plans to implement a number of projects to increase LPG production at the Mubarek gas processing plant and the Shurtan gas production complex.
The report came as OAO Gazprom Chief Executive Officer Alexei Miller was due to meet Uzbek President Islam Karimov on Jan. 20 for talks that media said involved gaining control over big Uzbek gas fields.
Russia's Kommersant daily said Miller planned to secure control of the Ugra, Kuanysh, and Akchalaksky fields, which would triple Gazprom's imports from Uzbekistan to 17-18 billion cu m.
If it can reach the deal, Gazprom would become the de facto monopoly for gas exports from Uzbekistan, the report added.
Contact Eric Watkins at [email protected].
