Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Russia continues to bolster the gas-chemical sector of both countries through joint training programs and cross-border technology exchange.

A recent stage of the international internship program involving specialists from both nations was successfully completed, highlighting the growing cooperation in workforce development, infrastructure management, and the integration of advanced technologies.

The foundation for this collaboration was laid by a memorandum signed in 2024 between Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex LLC and the Russian company Abiroy. The agreement aims to foster long-term cooperation in workforce training and production efficiency improvement, including the adoption of modern educational methods and process optimization.

According to Khusan Rakhimov, Head of Technical Department and Deputy Director of the Gas Deep Processing Department at Uzbekneftegaz JSC, the partnership with Abiroy presents new opportunities for Russian and CIS enterprises to access and integrate cutting-edge technologies into their existing production chains. He emphasized that this cooperation is a vital step in the modernization of the oil and gas industry in both countries.

One major outcome has been the launch of Abiroy's international internship program hosted at the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex. During the program, Uzbek experts shared hands-on experience with complex equipment operations, while the Russian side presented advanced personnel training methodologies. This exchange laid the groundwork for training staff for the under-construction Irkutsk Polymer Plant, marking a milestone in bilateral knowledge sharing.

In July 2025, during a business mission to the Irkutsk plant, Abiroy CEO Dastan Kokeyev met with representatives from Uzbekneftegaz JSC and the Shurtan complex. The meeting outlined key cooperation areas and set concrete steps for joint projects. Kokeyev noted that launching new facilities requires not only technical upgrades but also modern approaches to labor management, and that partnering with the Uzbek side will help build efficient production systems in both Russia and Uzbekistan.

The Uzbek delegation’s visit to the Irkutsk Polymer Plant marked a pivotal moment in deepening gas processing collaboration. Uzbek experts provided consultations on improving production efficiency and implementing modern technologies. Additionally, Araljon Sokhibov and Ulugbek Juraev from the Shurtan Gas Chemical Complex were invited to act as technical consultants during key phases of commissioning operations.

Khusan Rakhimov concluded that this partnership between Russian and Uzbek enterprises exemplifies the effective implementation of the bilateral intergovernmental economic cooperation program. Despite the relatively short timeline of project execution, the results achieved so far clearly demonstrate the high potential of expert and industrial exchanges in the oil and gas sector of both nations.