Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 26 / Trend E. Ismayilov /
SOCAR (State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan) will increase gas supplies to Russia twice - up to 1 bilion cubic meters per year in 2010, SOCAR president Rovnag Abdullayev said today.
"The talks were held. Azerbaijan has potentialities to increase gas supplies. We will supply Russia with 1 billion cubic meters of gas in 2010," Abdullayev said.
He said gas supplies to Russia will be launched from January 1, 2010 as it was envisaged in the contract.
It was initially planned that SOCAR will supply Russia with 500 million cubic meters of gas. But a decision was made to increase supplies twice.
Azerbaijani plot of the Baku-Mozdok Gas Pipeline is fully ready for Azerbaijani gas supplies to Russia.
Damage control operations have been conducted within preparatory work on the three plots of the Azerbaijani section of the pipeline. A corroded part of a 1,000-millimeter pipe in Hajigabul region was replaced. The problems with the pipeline near the river Velvelechay were also eliminated. Thus, 500-millimeter pipes were completely replaced by 1,200-millimeter. It increased the capacity of the gas pipeline at this plot twice. A part of the measuring knot, located at the station Shirvanovka on the border with Russia, was modernized. Recovery work was completed on December 15. Tests carried out in the renewed plots, gave a positive result.
The medium-term contract on purchase-sale of Azerbaijani gas to Russia (with the possibility of extension) was signed between SOCAR and Gazprom in Baku Oct. 14. It covers 2010-2014. Under the contract, the Azerbaijani side will annually supply gas amounting to no less than 500 million cubic meters to Russia. The contract did not specify a limit to the gas supply volume. SOCAR will notify the opposite side of the amount which the company can deliver for the next six months.