TIRANA, Albania, May 15. Albania is holding discussions with SOCAR on potential new projects, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Ceno Klosi told journalists ahead of the Sixth European Political Community Summit, set to take place on May 16 in Tirana, Trend reports.
"Gasification is a key priority for us in Albania. We enjoy excellent cooperation with Azerbaijan, although at this stage, it’s fair to say that we’re learning more from Azerbaijan than we’re able to contribute ourselves. But going forward, we’re aiming for a more balanced and mutually beneficial partnership," he said.
"Right now, we’re working to better understand how the gas sector operates. That’s why we’re treating the pilot project in Korça as a kind of testing ground - both for our legal framework and our regulatory systems related to gas."
According to the deputy minister, Albania is approaching the project from several angles to determine whether gas can truly become a viable and integrated energy source for the country. "In parallel, we’re already in talks with SOCAR on additional potential gasification projects. As I mentioned, the Korçë project is relatively small, and we certainly don’t intend to stop there. We’re actively identifying new opportunities. For example, in Vlorë - a coastal area that’s rapidly developing as a tourism hub - there’s likely to be significant demand for gas. We’re also working with SOCAR to explore projects for gas-fired power generation".
He noted that the current plan is to use the TAP pipeline to supply both natural gas and methane. "The Korça gasification project is our first major step, but we’re also exploring other areas of cooperation, such as oil production and both upstream and downstream operations. While we have other strategic partners in the sector, we see Azerbaijan as a country with deep expertise and experience," he said.
"We’re also looking into opportunities for oil extraction and, potentially, for refining operations in the future. These conversations are still in the early stages, but they reflect the direction we want to move in," he added.