The parties addressed the main cooperation issues in the oil and gas sector and noted that Gazprom's entry into the Kyrgyz gas market was a guarantee of uninterrupted gas supply to Kyrgyz consumers. In this regard, the meeting discussed Gazprom Kyrgyzstan's intentions to extensively develop and upgrade gas transmission facilities across the Republic. A focus was placed on the southern regions of Kyrgyzstan.
The participants looked into Gazprom's plans to conduct exploration activities in the Kugart and Eastern Mailu-Suu IV blocks, as well as the Company's involvement in the development of the Kyrgyz wholesale and retail refined products market. Alexey Miller also met today with Kyrgyz Prime Minister Djoomart Otorbaev. The parties addressed, among other things, the issues related to the Republic's preparations for the forthcoming autumn/winter period.
Pursuant to the intergovernmental agreement concluded in 2013 between Kyrgyzstan and Russia, on April 10, 2014 Gazprom and Kyrgyzgaz signed the Sales and Purchase Agreement for a 100 per cent stake of KyrgyzgazProm, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kyrgyzgaz. In July 2014 KyrgyzgazProm was renamed Gazprom Kyrgyzstan. Gazprom Kyrgyzstan is an exclusive importer of natural gas to Kyrgyzstan and the owner of gas transmission and distribution systems of the Republic.
In 2007 Gazprom and the Kyrgyz Republic Government signed the Agreement on the common principles for the geological survey of subsurface resources. Under the document, Gazprom obtained two subsurface use licenses for the Kugart and Eastern Mailu-Suu IV blocks. Kyrgyzstan's proven natural gas reserves are estimated at 6 billion cubic meters. The domestic gas production averages 30 million cubic meters per annum. Gas consumption makes up some 300 million cubic meters per annum, 90 per cent of which is imported from Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.