KHUJAND, April 4, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- Tajik-Austrian joint venture, Petroleum Sugd, which operates in Sughd province, has reportedly more than doubled gas production this year.

Hojiikrom Halimov, an economist with Petroleum Sugd, told Asia-Plus today that the enterprise has produced 2.791 million cubic meters of natural gas in the area since the beginning of the year, which is more than two times more compared to the same period of last year.  Over the same period of 2009, Petroleum Sugd produced 1.073 million cubic meters of natural gas, Halimov noted.

At present the enterprise is reportedly producing 22,000 cubic meters of gas from three gas wells per day (in all, the enterprise has five gas wells).

Oil productions have also increased over the report period.  “Since the beginning of the year, 4,830 tons of oil have been produced from 80 oil wells, which is 280 tons more than in 2009,” said Halimov, “The produced oil is refined and sold to private enterprises Shohona (Konibodom, Sughd province) and Hasan&Co (Dushanbe),” the economist said.