What specific steps is Uzbekistan taking to attract Western gas investors, and what was the recent BP deal about?

Uzbekistan is actively working to attract major European and US energy companies to develop its natural gas fields through production-sharing agreements, as stated by Khurshed Mustafayev, deputy minister of economy and finance for oil and gas. In May, the country signed a production-sharing agreement with BP Plc and Azerbaijan’s state energy company Socar for six blocks in the western North Ustyurt region, under which BP acquired a 40% participating interest, while the remainder is held by Socar and Uzbek state-owned Uzbekneftegaz.

How does Uzbekistan plan to balance its growing natural gas needs with its expanding renewable energy sector?

Uzbekistan plans to maintain natural gas as a core part of its energy mix for many years while simultaneously expanding renewables, which already account for about 20% of the energy mix and are expected to reach 25% by the end of the decade; this dual-track strategy supports rising domestic electricity demand amid an economy growing at over 6% annually, and is reinforced by investments in grid modernization—including high- and low-voltage infrastructure—and clean-energy projects led by ACWA Power, including transmission infrastructure and large-scale battery storage systems.