Uzbekistan launched its first gas-to-liquids plant on Saturday, a $3.6-billion project to extract value from domestically produced gas and reduce its dependency on imports of oil products.

The UzGTL plant in the southeastern Qashqadaryo province will produce 1.5 million tonnes a year of synthetic liquid fuels, such as kerosene, diesel, liquefied petroleum gas and naphtha from natural gas, production director Kidirbay Kaypnazarov said.

Speaking at the launch ceremony, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said the plant would refine gas worth $500 million into products valued at $1.5 billion from the first quarter of 2022. It will reach full capacity by the end of next year.

“This new innovative technology enables us to increase production of either kerosene or diesel depending on their market prices,” Mirziyoyev said, adding Uzbekistan currently imports oil and gas products worth $1 billion.

The plant will consume 3.6 billion cubic metres of gas per year from the nearby Shurtan gas field and processing plant, where the authorities also on Saturday launched a project to triple output.

Marcel Krause, UzGTL technical director, said South Africa’s Sasol, involved in the construction of the first gas-to-liquids plant in Qatar, was UzGTL’s technology partner alongside US energy major Chevron.