Work has officially begun to seal the well at the "25 Years of Independence" (M-25) gas field in the Boysun district of Surkhandarya region, where a gas leak triggered by an industrial accident in September 2024 has continued ever since. The well-capping operation launched on August 15, Uzbekneftegaz spokesman Mumin Ibodov announced.
Uzbekneftegaz chairman Abdugani Sanginov, Boysun district mayor Bakhodir Shukurov, and an senior executive of the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) met with residents of the village of Kafrun, located near the field.
The involvement of CCDC (Chuanqing Drilling Engineering Company Limited), a CNPC subsidiary, in the capping operation had previously been reported. Proposals from Russia's Rosneft, U.S.-based Schlumberger and South Korean companies were also considered.
Visiting the region in late February, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said a scientific solution for sealing the well had been developed together with international partners. "We will both stop the accident and launch a project that will give a powerful boost to Surkhandarya's economy," the president said at the time.
Uzbekneftegaz said more than 40 pieces of specialized equipment — including drilling rigs capable of handling gas with a high hydrogen sulfide content, a hazard specific to this field — are expected to be delivered to Boysun from China and other countries by the end of the year.
Drilling work is set to begin in January; Sanginov has previously said the company plans to drill four additional wells. Full closure of the well is targeted for July 2027, Ibodov said.
M-25 is currently Uzbekistan's largest undeveloped gas field. Plans for its development had also included the construction of a gas processing complex.
The accident began on September 1, 2024, when a gas leak occurred during drilling at well No. 604. Nearby residents were evacuated, and cleanup efforts continued for two weeks, until September 15. The leak resumed on September 17, however, killing four people. In March 2025, a separate gas release occurred at another well, No. 202.
Former Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov, describing the field's characteristics and technical challenges, called the accident an "extraordinary situation." An adviser to the head of Eriell attributed the incident to abnormally high reservoir pressure and the corrosive effect of hydrogen sulfide on equipment.
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