Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan are studying the prospects of jointly creating petroleum products for the needs of the Uzbek market, as well as establishing long-term supplies of both crude oil and finished fuel. 'Gazeta.uz' informed about this initiative by the Ministry of Energy of Uzbekistan.
According to the ministry, due to increasing domestic demand, Uzbekistan is interested in expanding sources of supply for automotive fuel, diesel fuel, aviation kerosene, and other types of petroleum products.
One of the key issues under discussion is the joint production of automotive and aviation fuel using existing oil refining capacities both in Uzbekistan and in Azerbaijan.
Energy Minister Sherzod Khodjaev told the television channel 'Uzbekistan 24' that the Azerbaijani side was offered to consider several models of such partnership. He specified: 'One of the proposals put forward today is to jointly produce petroleum products, automotive and aviation fuel for the needs of Uzbekistan with Azerbaijan.'
According to the minister, there are two main options for implementation: either the products are produced at existing refineries in Uzbekistan, or the Uzbek side becomes a partner in a new refinery being built in Azerbaijan. Khodjaev added that such interaction, in his opinion, will ensure stable saturation of the Uzbek market with necessary petroleum products.
The Ministry of Energy also announced that it is considering with the Azerbaijani side issues of long-term supplies of oil and petroleum products, joint processing of hydrocarbon raw materials, exchange of technological developments, and formation of reliable logistics schemes.
A visit by an Uzbek delegation led by Sherzod Khodjaev to Azerbaijan is scheduled for the first half of September. Detailed meetings are expected with the Ministry of Energy of Azerbaijan and the state oil company SOCAR to finalize agreements reached at the heads of state level of the two countries.
Currently, cooperation between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan in the energy sector includes geological exploration, work in the oil and gas industry, production and sale of petroleum products, development of renewable energy, and electricity transmission.
Earlier, in November 2025, former Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamahmudov mentioned that Uzbekistan and SOCAR were considering the possibility of building an oil refinery provided that oil reserves in the Ustyurt region were confirmed.
According to him, SOCAR specialists expected to receive positive results regarding oil after conducting geological exploration. Furthermore, in July 2025, the Ministry of Energy, SOCAR, and 'Uzbekneftegaz' concluded a production sharing agreement for six investment blocks in the Ustyurt oil and gas bearing region. The forecast for this project assumed the discovery of up to 100 million tons of oil and 35 billion cubic meters of natural gas.
In May 2026, the company BP joined this project. Additionally, during President Ilham Aliyev's state visit to Uzbekistan this week, it was announced that SOCAR, together with 'Uzbekneftegaz', plans to expand the network of gas stations across the territory of Uzbekistan. The presidents of Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan initiated the construction of five such gas stations.