Uzbekistan intends to increase export of its natural gas by 8% - from 15 billion cubic meters last year to 16.2 billion cubic meters, said First Vice Chairman of National Holding Company Uzbekneftegas Shavkat Majitov at the OGU-2009 oil and gas international exhibition that opened on Tuesday in Tashkent.

According to Majitov, 15.2 billion cubic meters of gas will be exported to Russia this year.

"In 2008, we exceeded the level of 15 billion cubic meters of gas exports for the first time," Majitov said.

A positive dynamics of gas export was reported in the first quarter of 2009. "We increased gas export by 7%," Shavkat Majitov said.

Uzbekistan intends to increase extraction of natural gas. According to forecasts, Uzbekneftegas will extract some 70 billion cubic meters of gas in 2009.

In 2008, gas production rose by 3.5 in Uzbekistan and amounted to 67.7 billion cubic meters.

Uzbekistan is second among CIS countries in gas production and among 10 biggest gas producers of the world.