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As part of the preparations for the official visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev to France, Bahrom Ashrafkhanov, Acting Chairman of the Board of Uzbekneftegaz JSC met October 8 with Pierre-Henri Bigeard, Executive Vice-President of IFP Energies Nouvelles (IFPEN).
During the meeting, the sides discussed the issues on the further development of bilateral relations and signed the Cooperation Memorandum, defining the framework and areas of future relations in the oil and gas sector, both with the Institute itself and with its affiliated companies.
The Memorandum provides for the consideration of several cooperation areas. Those include the scientific support for geological exploration and the study of oil and gas potential of investment blocks with the Beicip Franlab Company (France) and its possible involvement as an independent auditor and expert (the Uzbekneftegaz JSC delegation met October 7 with the leadership of Beicip Franlab). Plans also includes the development of optimal solutions with the Axens Company of France to improve the quality of the products manufactured at the existing oil processing capacities with minimal capital investments. Axens is one of the world leaders in oil and gas processing and petrochemistry. This company has already been involved in the construction of Bukhara Oil Processing Plant and the modernization of the Fergana Oil Processing Plant.
The Memorandum also envisages the cooperation with the IFPEN School for the education, training and retraining of the Uzbekneftegaz specialists through: organizing training courses of the IFPEN School at the Tashkent branch of the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas; organizing retraining courses for Uzbek specialists in the IFPEN School in France. Along with that, close cooperation with IFPEN on the creation of the Uzbekneftegaz Innovation Center for deep processing of natural gas is projected. IFP is a recognized French state research and training institute for the development and implementation of high-tech products in the fields of energy, transport and environmental protection. As of the end of 2017, the company sold 2.6 thousand licenses. The amount of IFP operating expenses is EUR 278.2 million, including EUR 232.9 million spent on research.
Uzbekneftegaz JSC press office