Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) has signed a framework agreement with Uzbekneftegaz, a joint stock company in Uzbekistan's oil and gas industry, it said in a statement. Adnoc will provide strategic advice in relation to upstream and downstream operations.

Presently, Uzbekneftegaz is working on strategic projects in Uzbekistan, including the construction of a gas-to-liquids plant and the revamping of the Shurtan gas chemical complex.

According to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy, Uzbekistan’s proven gas reserves stand at 1.1 trillion cubic metres and oil reserves at 100 million tonnes.

According to the Adnoc statement, the main focus of Uzbek oil and gas activity is to study the under-explored basins, mainly in the central and western parts of the country.

However, potential still exists in the older oil-producing area in the east, where modern technology is required to develop some prolific fields that have already been discovered, and others that remain undiscovered.