DUSHANBE, July 3, 2013, Asia-Plus -- The Ministry of energy and Industry (MoEI) says recoverable gas reserves of the Qizil Tumshuk filed, located in the southern province of Khatlon, have been exhausted.

An official source at a MoEI says the Qizil Tumshuk gas field has been developed since 1967.  Production of natural gas at the Qizil Tumshuk field has sharply decreased since last year.

“Over the first five months of this year, Tajikistan has produced natural gas 4.8 million cubic meters less than in the same period last year,” said the source.  “In January-May 2012, Tajikistan produced more than 6 million cubic meters of natural gas.”

“We have many promising gas fields but considerable funds are needed to explore and develop these fields,” noted he.  “There are investors, but they need time.”

Qizil Tumshuk gas field was explored in 1967 and its possible gas reserves were estimated at little more than 2 billion cubic meters.  This gas field has been developed for 46 years.

According to expert estimates, the aggregate raw-materials resources of the oil and gas bearing areas in Tajikistan amount to about 1,000 billion tons of reference fuel.  At the same time, production work at oil and gas fields require considerable expenditure, since hydrocarbon deposits occur at depths ranging from 6.5 to 8 kilometers.