Lithuania offers Azerbaijan gas cooperation
Lithuania offers Azerbaijan energy sector cooperation by ensuring swap gas supplies, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Azubalis said during the second meeting of the Azerbaijani-Lithuanian intergovernmental commission on bilateral cooperation in Baku Azubalis said Lithuania will commission a natural gas liquefaction terminal with a total capacity of about 3 billion cubic meters in 2014. "Cooperation with Azerbaijan is also possible through this terminal," the minister said.
Chechnya offers Azerbaijan cooperation in oil production
Chechnya is ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan in oil production, Deputy Prime Minister Eli Isayev told journalists in Baku. "Today, Rosneft has a license for oil extraction in Chechnya. License was granted in 2002 for 20 years. Nevertheless, the industry is being studied. There are a number of oil fields in Chechnya, where it is necessary to carry out exploration work. Cooperate with Azerbaijan is possible in this direction," Isayev said.
Azerbaijani Deputy FM: Implementation of Trans-Caspian gas pipeline not connected with status of Caspian Sea
The laying of submarine pipelines between the Caspian states has nothing to do with the question of the status of the Caspian Sea, said Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov who was participating in the meeting of the Council of CIS Foreign Ministers, held in Astana. "This issue is not related to the legal status of the Caspian Sea. The EU supports the implementation of the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline. And I think that if all parties show determination, the project will be implemented," said Khalafov. In this case, according to Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, implementation of the pipeline between Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan is more dependent on the position of Ashgabat, as the project is designed primarily for Turkmen gas. If Turkmenistan shows determination and desire, and turns to Azerbaijan, Baku is ready to provide its transit capabilities, Khalafov said.
Azerbaijan announces preliminary cost of new refinery in Kyrgyzstan
The cost of building a refinery in Kyrgyzstan could reach nearly $250 million, Azerbaijani Minister of Industry and Energy Natig Aliyev said. Earlier Kyrgyzstan proposed Azerbaijan should build a refinery in this country. Currently, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) is evaluating the project. Aliyev said raw material for this enterprise will be supplied under the swap scheme. That is, crude oil for processing to a refinery in Kyrgyzstan will be supplied by Kazakhstan or Turkmenistan, to which this volume will be replaced by Azerbaijan in other markets.
SOCAR abandons additional issue of Eurobonds
The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has no plans this year on the additional issue of Eurobonds, SOCAR head Rovnag Abdullayev said. On Feb 2 SOCAR successfully completed placement of debut issues of Eurobonds in London. Eurobond aroused great interest among investors. The total volume of orders submitted by 290 investors totaled $4.6. The total amount of issued eurobonds is $500 million. The yield of the Eurobond issue will hit 5.45 per cent per annum. The maturity date of the primary Eurobond issue is set for February 9, 2017. Earlier high-ranking SOCAR official said the company considered possibility to carry out an additional issue of Eurobonds in the amount of $250 million. When placing SOCAR's Eurobonds excess of demand over supply by ten times was observed. In this regard, SOCAR consultants proposed to implement additional accommodation on the same terms in a short period of time.
SOCAR studies profitability level of oil refinery in Switzerland
The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) is studying the potential and condition of the Swiss oil refinery Petroplus, SOCAR head Rovnag Abdullayev said. "Previously, the owners of the refinery declared themselves bankrupt and at present we are studying its condition and if the profitability level of the oil refinery will be at the desired level. SOCAR may intensify its activities in this direction," Abdullayev said. The Petroplus main office and one of its plants are located in Switzerland, while four other oil refining complexes are in Great Britain, France, Germany and Belgium. Total company production capacity is about 667,000 barrels of oil per day.
SOCAR: Azerbaijan does not intend to cede TANAP stake to Turkey
Issue of the distribution of the equity by the Azerbaijani and Turkish sides in the Trans-Anatolian pipeline (TANAP) has already been solved and is not expected to be reviewed, the head of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), Rovnag Abdullayev said, while commenting on statements made by Turkey on the possibility of increasing its stake in the project. He said equity is distributed on the basis of an 80 to 20 per cent stake, most of which belongs to SOCAR, with the smaller to the Turkish Botas pipeline monopoly. Abdullayev said part of the 80 per cent share on the Azerbaijani side is supposed to be distributed among the member companies of natural gas projects in Azerbaijan. The issue of distribution of shares will be considered after the signing of an intergovernmental agreement and other documents as part of TANAP. Proposals of many companies involved in the development of the gas fields in Azerbaijan, as well as other companies outside the country are being considered. The decision on share distribution will be made depending on the volume of gas transportation by companies and other issues, Abdullayev said. He said despite the fact that Azerbaijan's share will be distributed, SOCAR intends to retain control over the gas pipeline.
SOCAR: Azerbaijan to consider Turkmen gas transit conditions to Europe
After the European Union and Turkmenistan reach an agreement on Trans-Caspian gas pipeline, Azerbaijan will be able to consider ways to ensure gas transit through its territory, the head of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), Rovnag Abdullayev, said. "Azerbaijan is not a party to this project which is implemented by the EU and Turkmenistan. Only after decisions have been taken between the parties, then Baku may consider options and possibilities of ensuring transit," Abdullayev said.
Tender announced for general license in oil and gas sector in Georgia
The Natural Resources Agency of the Energy and Natural Resources Ministry of Georgia announced an open international tender to receive a general license to use oil and gas resources on XIM, XIN, XIH and XIV license blocks. Tender proposals will be opened at 18:00, on June 5. Information packages will be issued from April 11.
Iran intensifies gas searches on Caspian Sea
Iran's Oil Minister Rostam Qasemi said today that Iran has intensified gas searches on the coast of the Caspian Sea, Mehr reported. "We have established platform on bases that will conduct gas researches in the Sea. The research will be carried out by Iranian specialists," Qasemi noted. The minister said that for establishing serious presence in the Caspian, more hydrocarbons structures must be installed. He added that a support center for the research works will be established in the Mazandaran province of Iran.
Fund: Kazakhstan interested in transporting oil via Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline
Kazakhstan is interested in transporting oil from the Tengiz field via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline and a compromise is planned on disputable issues in this process, head of JSC Sovereign Wealth Fund "Samruk-Kazyna" Umirzak Shukeyev said. He said although pumping is not carried out at present, Kazakhstan "is interested in the transportation of the Tengiz oil via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline". Stopping oil pumping is explained with the fact that transportation tariff was increased from $4 per barrel to $5.5. "In addition, the Kazakh company Tengizchevroil [TCO - Tengiz field operator] is interested in getting its oil and sell it at the end of the pipeline. Far as I know, a compromise in this matter is planned. The negotiations are underway," Shukeyev said.
Industrial gas stream received from major gas field in Turkmenistan
Industrial stream with high pressure was received on the Galkynysh field in Mary region, which ranks second in the world for its natural gas reserves, the Petroleum and Mineral Resources Ministry of Turkmenistan said. "Recently, employees of the Turkmengeology Corporation's enterprise received industrial natural gas stream with high pressure from the fifth drill well (test distance of 4.6-4.7 km)," the report says. According to specialists, this well is capable of producing 1 million cubic meters of natural gas per day.
Pakistan ready to sign gas agreement with Turkmenistan
Pakistan is ready to sign a gas sales purchase agreement with Turkmenistan as part of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project, Pakistani media outlets reported on Friday. "Pakistan will formally sign the gas sales purchase agreement (GSPA) with Turkmenistan on April 18 for the import of gas within the TAPI gas pipeline project, implementation cost of which is under $7.6 billion," The News reported. Pakistan's delegation led by the federal minister for petroleum and natural resources will visit Ashgabat on April 17-18 to finally sign the deal.
Uzbekistan begins gas exports to China
According to the Uzbekneftegaz National Holding Company (NHC), an export contract for the supply of Uzbek gas to China was signed in October 2011. The contract was signed by Uztransgaz Company and PetroChina International Company Ltd., which is a subsidiary of the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). The intergovernmental agreement is based on the principles relating to the construction and operation of the Uzbekistan-China gas pipeline and agreements on the sale of natural gas between Uzbekneftegaz and CNPC. Part of the volume of Uzbek gas will be supplied to China from April 1," the holding board chairman Shokir Faizullaev said. He did not reveal the volume of gas to be exported to China this year. The Framework agreement envisaged the purchase of Uzbek gas to the volume of $10 billion cubic meters annually by China.