China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) has signed a cooperation deal with Uzbekistan State Holding Oil and Gas Company Uzbekndftegaz on the joint exploration of Mingulak oilfield in Namangan region, Uzbekistan, CNPC announced on Monday.

An unnamed CNPC official said the project would help ease energy pressures in Uzbekistan and further enhance upstream gas projects and energy supply in China.

The Mingulak oilfield located in the Fergana oil and Gas region was opened in 1992.

The oil and gas is buried more than 5,000 meters beneath the ground. The recoverable reserves in the oilfield totals more than 30 million tonnes. The annual production is estimated at 2 million tonnes.

In January CNPC commenced construction of a natural gas pipeline extending from Central Asia to China.

It will pass through Uzbekistan, across southern Kazakhstan and into China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is scheduled to be completed and put into operation in 2009.

The pipeline will transmit 30 billion cubic meters of gas a year.

(Xinhua News Agency October 20, 2008)