Azerbaijan ups gas export to Georgia
Azerbaijan, Baku, October 7 / Trend E. Ismayilov /
Azerbaijan exports 2.3-2.4 million cubic meter of gas to Georgia daily, a source in the government said. Gas supplies to Georgia were significantly lower in summer.
A source said that about 1.3-1.4 million cubic meters of total volume transported to Georgia fall on gas extracted by SOCAR independently. About 1 million cubic meters fall on gas extracted from Azerbaijani offshore gas-condensate field Shah-Deniz.
In November 2008, Azerbaijan and Georgia signed the agreement to stir up SOCAR's activity on Georgian gas market during next 5 years beginning from 2009. Under the agreement, Socar will launch subsidiaries to supply gas to consumer groups pinpointed by the Georgian government.
SOCAR exported 645,5 million cubic meters of gas to Georgia in January-August compared to 167 million cubic meters for the same period of 2008, SOCAR said. SOCAR exported 54 million cubic meters of gas to Georgia in August.
SOCAR commenced gas supplies to Georgia in April 2008. A total of 788.93 million cubic meter of gas was delivered to Georgia in 2008.
SOCAR plans to extract 8 billion cubic meters of gas in 2009 within own gas program. About 7 billion will be delivered to the state but 1 billion will be used by the company for own needs (especially for pumping into a layer).
Forecast on gas extraction at Shah-Deniz field for this year hits 7.2 billion cubic meters. Before, BP Company (operator of the project) forecasted extraction to the amount of 7.7 billion cubic meters. Extraction worth 8.6-9 billion cubic meters will be reached at this field in 2010.
Azerbaijan has not got gas from Shah Deniz field during summer.
Gas was transported to Georgia and Turkey via South Caucasian gas pipeline.
The contract on exploitation of Shah Deniz offshore field was signed on June 4, 1996.
Participants of the agreement are: BP (operator) - 25.5 percent; Statoil Hydro - 25.5 percent; NICO - 10 percent; Total - 10 percent; LukAgip - 10 percent; TPAO - 9 percent; SOCAR - 10 percent.
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