BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 8. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and the Bulgarian Asarel company plan to conduct the gasification of two towns in central Bulgaria near Plovdiv during several years within the framework of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on May 8 in Baku, a source in the Bulgarian delegation told Trend.
"The first town from which the gasification project may start is the small town of Panagyurishte (with about 20,000 inhabitants). A gasification scheme for this town will be prepared, then approval from the municipality and a license for the work must be obtained, after which the gasification process will begin. I think this can be implemented within two years, especially since there is a main gas pipeline passing near Panagyurishte," said a representative of one of the gas companies in Bulgaria.
The second town that SOCAR and Asarel may gasify could be the ancient city of Pazardzhik.
Meanwhile, Bulgaria has been receiving Azerbaijani gas since 2021, and this year, the share of gas from Azerbaijan to cover Bulgaria's total demand for this fuel will exceed 55 percent.
On April 25, 2023, SOCAR opened a representative office in Bulgaria, which oversees almost all of the state oil company's activities in the Balkans.