Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan.12 / Trend , E.Ismayilov /
The contract on Azerbaijani gas purchase, signed between SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan) and Russia's gas monopolist Gazprom, has laid a foundation for long-term cooperation in gas sphere, Gazprom head Alexei Miller said.
"I think we have laid a foundation of successful and mutually beneficial long-term cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan in gas sphere," he said.
Miller said the gas contract between Azerbaijan and Russia is unique among similar agreements where Gazprom participates.
A very important feature of the signed contract is that the upper limit of the amount of gas purchases is not established. We will buy as much as the Azerbaijani side will be able to supply. This is not in other contract of Gazprom, which once again underlines the high level of our partnership," Miller noted.
He said Gasprom has no doubt in reaching agreement on gas from the Azerbaijani side, because competitive terms of procurement of gas from Azerbaijan were offered
Azerbaijani gas supplies to Russia began from Jan.1 2010.
Earlier SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev said though initially it was planned to export 500 million cubic meters of gas to Russia in 2010, after the agreement the sides decided to double the volume of supplies.
A governmental source said earlier, according to forecast approximately 1.1 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas will be exported to Russia in 2010.
At present, Azerbaijan transports 1 million cubic meters of gas a day to Russia, although this figure will be increased to 1.5 million beginning from Jan.15.
At present, Azerbaijan and Russia are linked by the Mozdok-Kazi-Magomed Pipeline with the capacity of 5 million cu m of gas per year. Until 2007, Azerbaijan imported 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas. In 2008, Azerbaijan refused to import gas.
The medium-term contract on purchase and sale of Azerbaijani gas to Russia (with the possibility of extension) was signed between SOCAR and Gazprom in Baku Oct. 14. It covers the period of 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 in the next six months.
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