Azerbaijan, Baku, February 25 / Trend , E.Ismailov/
SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan) considers it perspective direction to transport natural gas to European countries via the Southern Energy Corridor," said the head of SOCAR Rovnag Abdullayev in an interview with the corporate magazine of Russia's Gazprom (№ 1-2, January-February 2010).
According to Abdullayev, today there are a number of projects focused on the delivery of gas from the Caspian region to Europe, for example, construction of gas pipelines Turkey-Greece-Italy, Nabucco, Trans-Adriatic Pipeline and others. Azerbaijan is actively cooperating with countries and companies interested in developing this sphere, as well as with the European Commission in order to select the most economically efficient, reliable route having an access to major markets.
However, according to Abdullayev, SOCAR opposes against politicizing the issue of transit of energy resources and will support all projects that meet the economic interests of Azerbaijan. In particular, SOCAR is ready to consider the possibility of its participation in the pipeline project South Stream.
South Stream worth 25 billion euros provides for the delivery of Russian gas to South and Central Europe across the Black Sea. The project's main participants are Russia's Gazprom and Italy's ENI. The pipeline is expected to launch in 2015. Its maximum capacity will be 63 billion cubic meters per year.
Abdullayev said in an interview that Azerbaijan's proven gas reserves amount to about two trillion cubic meters, supposed reserves - five to seven trillion cubic meters.
By 2015, oil production in Azerbaijan will reach 60 million tons per year, and gas - 35-40 billion cubic meters, Abdullayev said earlier. Last year, Azerbaijan produced 50.4 million tons of oil, which is six million tons more than 2008. Volume of gas production in 2009 amounted to 23.7 billion cubic meters, which is 286 million cubic meters more than the previous year.
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