Leaking gas well in Baysun expected to be sealed by July 2027

Uzbekneftegaz company has officially commenced work to seal a gas well at the 25 Years of Independence (M-25) field in the Baysun district, Surkhandarya region. The gas blowout has been ongoing since an accident in early September 2024. Company chairman Abdugani Sanginov, along with local governor Bakhodir Shukurov and representatives from China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), met with residents of the nearby Kafrun village. China's CCDC, a CNPC subsidiary, is involved in the operation, with proposals also considered from companies in Russia, the United States, and South Korea. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev previously stated in February 2026 that a scientific solution for sealing the well had been found with international partners, aiming to "stop the accident and launch a project that will give a powerful boost to the economy of Surkhandarya." Over 40 units of specialized equipment, including drilling rigs capable of handling high levels of hydrogen sulfide, are being delivered to Baysun from China and other nations. Drilling operations are slated to begin in January, with the well projected to be fully sealed by July 2027. The M-25 field is Uzbekistan's largest undeveloped gas field. The initial gas blowout occurred at well No. 604 on September 1, 2024, during drilling operations. Efforts to contain the leak for two weeks were unsuccessful, and the leak resumed on September 17, resulting in four deaths. A further blowout occurred at another well, No. 202, in March 2025. The situation has been described as an "emergency situation" due to the field's characteristics and complexity, including high reservoir pressure and the corrosive effects of hydrogen sulfide on equipment.

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We will stop the accident and launch a project that will give a powerful boost to the economy of Surkhandarya.