Azerbaijan,Baku/ Trend / Giving a speech during the sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Country dedicated to the results of the fisrt quarter of 2007, Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan's President, has said that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline (BTC) has become operating on its full capacity, the official press reports.
"This is an significant historical achievemnt, big success, and or perfect response to those who cast doubts on the implementation of this project," said the President.
Mr. Aliyev reminded that some countries' media and press had spread a piece of information that oil produced from other countries were alegedly obligatory needed to fill BTC, that Azerbaijan alegeldly did not enough oil reserves, and attempts to mislead the international community.
"But we have always spoken and even today prove that the BTC Pipeline has been constructed just for Azerbaijani oil," stressed the Azerbaijani President.
Azerbaijani oil is presently being freely exported to international markets. Every day, we carry 1 mln. barrels of oil via the pipe with the capacity of 1 mln. barrels per day. In 2008, Azerbaijan is expected to export 50 mln. tons of oil. Regarding 2007, I can say that the total volume of oil production in Azerbaijan in 2007 will reach 42-43 mln. tons, and that is rather significant volume," said Mr. Aliyev.
In the first quarter of 2007, Azerbaijan has launched the export of its gas produced from the offshore gas condensate field of Shah-Daniz via SCP (South-Caucasus Gas Pipeline of Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum).
" Azerbaijan is not only an oil producing country, we have become a gas exporting country," said the Head of the Azerbaijani State.
There are great gas reserves in Azerbaijan. The confirmed gas reserves on Shah-Daniz only reaches 1,2 trl. cubic meters. The foreign companies engaged in the development of oil and gas sector in Azerbaijan also become confirming it, though they cited more unpretentious figures," noted the President.
"If Azerbaijan begins providing its own domestic needs in this blue fuel, then, let us imagine, that we shall not export gas, then we shall provide themselves with gas for the next 100 years," said Mr. Aliyev. In this respect, Azerbaijan is becoming the country, which is capable to the utmost provide itself with natural resources.
It should be taken into consideration that the country has gas reserves on its other fields, including an offshore bloc of fields of Azeri-Chiragh-Gunashli. There are horizons called "deep gas". The gas reserves there reach at least 300 bln. cubic meters. No doubt that there are gas reserves on other deposits as well. All these will ensure the energy security of Azerbaijan for many years further, and turn our country into the country that exports it.
Azerbaijan has not harmed itself at all after our country's interrupting gas export from Russia.
"We have proved that we can provide ourselves in any way possible. We have provided not only ourselves but also the friendly Georgian nation with blue fuel. You know that Georgia faced troubles with the gas consumption in the last winter months, and Azerbaijan extended its helping hand to them," noticed Mr. Aliyev.
Today, the gas produced from Shah-Daniz has also supplying the Georgian market, but in the near future, this gas will be exported to Turkey, and then - to European markets.