TASHKENT, May 16: Uzbekistan plans to raise natural gas exports to 14.50 billion cubic metres this year from 12.65 billion cubic metres in 2006, a senior energy official said on Wednesday.

Officials also said a number of top Russian oil companies were in talks with the government to explore new projects in the Central Asian state.

Uzbekistan is a big regional gas producer. The former Soviet nation of 27m consumes most of its gas itself but it wants to raise production and export more.

Shavkat Mazhitov, deputy head of the state oil and gas company Uzbekneftegas, told reporters that 13 billion cubic metres would be exported to Russia and Kazakhstan this year.

Last week Uzbekistan agreed with Russia, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to upgrade existing gas pipelines connecting Central Asia and Russia, a move expected to help Uzbekistan eventually achieve higher exports.—Reuters