Uza. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev inspected the construction progress of the gas chemical complex “25 Years of Independence” in Baysun district of Surkhandarya region.

A gas field was discovered here several decades ago. However, due to the complex geography and the lack of modern technologies and means at that time, no one dared to master it.

Thanks to the determination of Shavkat Mirziyoyev, practical steps have been taken in this direction. The Head of state was here in April 2019 and got acquainted with preliminary geological exploration work and a feasibility study. Construction of the plant began in December of the same year.

The cost of this project, implemented by the foreign enterprise Surhan Gas Chemical Operating Company, is $2.9 billion. The complex will have a capacity to produce and process 5 billion cubic meters of gas per year.

At the moment, $1 billion 450 million has been invested in the development of the field, and drilling work has been completed at 20 wells. 11 gas wells were successfully tested. Foundation work and construction of metal structures are almost complete.

Projects and construction of the plant are carried out based on licensed technologies from Shell. It meets the latest environmental requirements and can neutralize 99 percent of harmful production waste. This is the first time such equipment has been installed at this plant in the CIS countries.

Another important aspect is that the plant generates electricity and supplies it to residents of the area.

Here, the Head of state got acquainted with the geological exploration and seismic research results. A conversation took place with investors, specialists, and builders involved in the development of the field.

“The main goal should not be the sale of gas in the form of raw materials, but its processing and production of value-added products. For investments to quickly pay off and the plant to be competitive, it is necessary to ensure that the final product is of high quality and profitable”, Shavkat Mirziyoyev said.

The task was set to develop an appropriate resolution.

The complex is located 20 kilometers from the city of Baysun. Currently, more than 7,000 people are working on its construction. The first stage will be launched in May next year and reach total capacity in 2025.

The plant will become the eighth gas chemical complex in the country, one of the largest industrial enterprises in Surkhandarya. Many thousands of people will be provided with highly profitable jobs.

“Residents of Baysun should feel that such a huge plant was built in their district and thousands of jobs were created. Now, it is necessary to develop related industries around this complex”, the President said.

A presentation of a project for developing another deposit discovered in Baysun, oil shale, also took place here. Information was presented on the possibilities of obtaining electricity, oil, and gas from it.