Energy giant bp is on track to complete seismic exploration work in Uzbekistan’s Ustyurt region by the end of the summer, marking an important milestone in a joint project with Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan aimed at assessing the area's oil and gas potential.

The update was provided by Giovanni Cristofoli, bp's Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye, who said the company expects to finish the seismic survey phase in the coming months before moving on to detailed analysis of the collected data, The Caspian Post reports via Report.

The exploration program is being carried out under a partnership involving bp, SOCAR, and Uzbekneftegaz.

Cristofoli noted that once field operations are completed, specialists will spend the following year interpreting the seismic data to determine whether commercially viable oil and gas reserves exist in the area and estimate their potential size.

Seismic surveys are a critical first step in hydrocarbon exploration, allowing geologists to map underground structures and identify areas that may contain oil and natural gas deposits.

The Ustyurt region, located in northwestern Uzbekistan, is considered one of the country's most promising areas for future energy exploration. The results of the survey could help shape investment decisions and future drilling plans in the region.

With data interpretation set to continue into next year, industry observers will be watching closely to see whether the Ustyurt survey uncovers significant new hydrocarbon opportunities in one of Central Asia’s key energy-producing nations.