Kyrgyzstan Warns of Potential Fuel Shortage

Kyrgyzstan’s Antimonopoly Regulation Service has urged oil traders to avoid unjustified price increases and to ensure continuous fuel supplies, amid concerns about dwindling gasoline reserves. According to participants in a recent meeting convened by the Antimonopoly Regulation Service, including representatives from the presidential administration, the country’s current gasoline reserves are sufficient for only one month. Oil traders attributed recent price hikes at gas stations to rising wholesale prices at Russian refineries and a reduction in fuel shipments from Russia, Kyrgyzstan’s primary supplier. “Following the meeting, proposals were prepared to stabilize the situation on the fuel market, which will be sent to the Ministry of Economy and Commerce,” the Antimonopoly Regulation Service said in a statement. The regulator called on market players to “maintain fair competition,” refrain from unjustified price increases, and prevent disruptions in fuel availability. Traders reportedly pledged to maintain uninterrupted supplies through the end of the year, despite ongoing challenges in Russia. Kyrgyzstan relies heavily on Russian fuel imports, which it receives at preferential rates and without export duties. However, deliveries have fallen due to scheduled maintenance at Russian refineries and recent attacks on oil infrastructure. Fuel industry representatives said a new supply agreement with Russia for 2026 is expected to be signed by the end of this year.

Kazakhstan Enforces Fuel Export Ban

Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy has confirmed that the country’s six-month ban on fuel exports remains in full effect, with no gasoline shipments currently sent to Uzbekistan or other neighboring countries. Officials acknowledged a single exception earlier this year, when surplus volumes of AI-92 gasoline were exported to Uzbekistan in the spring. The ministry characterized the shipment as a routine measure aligned with international practice, designed to optimize domestic storage and increase tax revenues. Since June, all fuel exports have been suspended to build strategic reserves ahead of scheduled maintenance at Kazakhstan’s oil refineries. The ban, introduced on May 19, covers gasoline, diesel, and other petroleum products. Reports of Fuel Shortages and Smuggling Speculation over renewed fuel shortages in Kazakhstan surfaced in local media on September 22, with reports citing illegal cross-border smuggling as a contributing factor. Some sources also claimed that Uzbekistan had increased purchases of Kazakh gasoline amid a decline in fuel imports from Russia. In response, the Ministry of Energy reiterated that no current fuel exports are taking place and emphasized that the export moratorium is being strictly enforced. Uzbekistan’s Fuel Market in Transition Uzbekistan’s state energy company Uzbekneftegaz recently announced plans to phase out production of AI-80 gasoline starting in September. Beginning in 2026, the country intends to supply only higher-octane grades, including AI-92 and AI-95, to align with international fuel standards. The regional fuel market has already undergone significant restructuring. In April 2024, the Telegram channel Oil & Gas of Kazakhstan reported that Uzbekistan was scaling back crude oil imports from Kazakhstan in favor of cheaper Russian supplies. During the first quarter of 2024, Uzbek companies imported 15,200 tons of crude oil from Kazakhstan by rail, down from 25,600 tons during the same period in 2023. Most of this volume was refined at the Ferghana plant. Meanwhile, Russia’s Gazprom Neft significantly expanded deliveries to Uzbekistan. In the first quarter of 2024, the company shipped 75,000 tons of crude via pipelines through Kazakhstan, nearly seven times more than the 10,700 tons delivered a year earlier.