Kazakhstan Turns to Russian Gas as Domestic Demand Surges

By Eurasianet - Sep 18, 2026, 1:00 PM CDT Kazakhstan expects Russian gas deliveries to rise from about 4 bcm in 2025 to 11 bcm in 2026, with roughly 9 bcm under discussion for 2027. Uzbekistan is also increasingly reliant on imported gas as domestic production falls, while continuing to export gas to China and other markets. US legislation passed by Congress would create new sanctions and tariff risks for major purchasers of Russian energy, though its reach is narrower than the article currently suggests. Kazakhstan intends to increase natural gas imports from Russia. The purchase price may be low, but the overall cost could turn out to be steep because of pending new US sanctions on Russia.Under a supplementary agreement signed with the Russian energy giant Gazprom, Kazakhstan has agreed to purchase about 11 billion cubic meters (bcm) of Russian gas this year, up from around 4 million bcm in 2025, the Tass news agency reported. The two sides are still in talks about the purchase of as much as 9 bcm in 2027.Kazakhstan has been a net natural gas exporter over the years, and in 2025 domestic production reached a record level of 68.1 bcm. At the same time, domestic demand is surging.A key unknown factor in the Gazprom import deal is the price. Gazprom did not disclose financial details.It is probably a bargain rate.Russia’s energy industry is a crucial income earner for the Kremlin, which needs the revenue to keep its war effort in Ukraine afloat. The war has closed off lucrative European markets for Gazprom, forcing the company to reportedly offer deep discounts to entice purchases elsewhere. The Gazprom supplementary deal could thus offer Kazakhstan a low-cost way of meeting growing domestic demand while not losing a big chunk of revenue generated by the country’s exports.Uzbekistan, where domestic gas production has steadily declined in recent years, appears to be following a buy-Russian-gas-low, sell-Uzbek-gas-high strategy to cover growing domestic demand while maintaining substantial export earnings. Uzbek gas exports in 2025 generated about $629 million in revenue, while mainly Russian imports were valued at $1.66 billion.The decline in Uzbek domestic gas production is accelerating rapidly. Officials reported 18.3 billion bcm were extracted during the first half of 2026, compared to 21.9 bcm during H1 the previous year.The sanctions bill passed by the US Congress on September 16, and is likely to be signed by President Donald Trump, could disrupt Kazakh and Uzbek gas import plans. The bill stands to turn the screws on Russia’s energy sector and enables the president to impose punitive tariffs on any nation that purchases Russian energy. In addition, Kazakh and Uzbek gas purchases could potentially expose entities in the two Central Asian states to secondary sanctions.By EurasianetMore Top Reads From Oilprice.comOil Prices Head for Weekly Loss as Saudi Export Fears EaseGermany Weighs Market Incentives to Boost Record Low Gas Storage LevelTTF Gas Hits $92.95 as Gulf Tensions Weigh on Energy Markets Download The Free Oilprice App Today Back to homepage