Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend S Aliyev / Next year oil production in Azerbaijan will exceed 50mln tons, the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with the Japanese newspaper Nikkey (Nihon Keydzay Shimbun). In 2010 the volume of oil production will comprise of 65mln tons.
Aliyev said that in 2008 the gas production will make up 16bln cu m. "In case of the additional demand in Azerbaijani gas, we will certainly increase production," the Azerbaijani President stressed.
Oil reserves of the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli fields are estimated at over 1.2bln tons. The reserves of the Shah Deniz gas field and other fields are estimated to 1.5trln cu m, President Aliyev noted.
The Azerbaijani President recently obtained a permission to participate in the NABUCCO project. At present the issue is under consideration. Participating in this project will be Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Austria and Hungary.
Touching upon the opportunities of transit transportation of energy resources from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan via Azerbaijan, Aliyev noted that Azerbaijan is prepared to offer its infrastructure to these countries.
"We have the necessary infrastructure for oil and gas transportation to Europe and world markets," the President stressed.