Russian oil companies - state-owned ROSNEFT and private LUKOIL and STROITRANSGAZ - are in talks with Uzbekistan on geological prospecting at six oil- and gas- bearing blocks, said UZBEKNEFTEGAZ chief geologist Mutalib Nurmatov.

Uzbekistan is divided into 44 investment blocks, of which 21 have been set aside for prospecting by LUKOIL, GAZPROM, South Korea’s KNOC and KOGAS, Malaysia’s PETRONAS and China’s CNPC.

According to Nurmatov, ROSNEFT is examining geological materials with a view to conducting exploration at the Chinabadsky block, while LUKOIL - at Khorezmsky, Mesheklin-Tuzkoisky and Zapadno- Fergansky.