Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 25 / Trend E. Ismayilov /
SOCAR plans to diagnosticate the gas pipeline to Russia (Mozdok-Kazi Magomed), a source in SOCAR told Trend today.
He said that it is necessary to diagnosticate the gas pipeline taking into account the possible perspectives of increasing the supply of Azerbaijani gas to Russia.
"As the pipeline has been exploited for a long time, some sections require repair," the source said.
The diagnostics is required to determine the gas transportation opportunities of the pipeline, particularly in terms of the pressure at which gas can be pumped.
Regarding the volume of Azerbaijani gas supplies to Russia (3 billion cubic meters), the source stressed that the gas transportation infrastructure will ensure transportation of these volumes.
"The transportation of 3 billion cubic meters this year will not cause problems because the gas transportation infrastructure allows ensuring their supply," the source said.
Under an additional agreement signed between SOCAR and Gazprom, the volume of Azerbaijani gas purchased by Russia will exceed 3 billion cubic meters in 2013. The additional agreement was signed by the parties in Sochi on January 24 this year to increase the volume of Azerbaijani gas purchased by Russia by two times (from 1.5 to 3 billion cubic meters).
The additional agreement to increase the volume of gas purchased by Russia was signed by the parties in Sochi January 24 this year.
SOCAR and Gazprom signed a contract on Azerbaijani gas sales on Oct. 14, 2009. According to an addendum to the contract signed in early September 2010, Gazprom will get 2 billion cubic meters in 2011 and over 2 billion in 2012. However, the Russian side did not get the full amount of planned volumes last year.
Azerbaijani gas supplies to Russia started from Jan. 1, 2010.