GAS INFRASTRUCTURE WORLD CASPIAN CONFERENCE KICKS OFF IN BAKU
Baku. September 15. (AZERTAC). Annual Gas Infrastructure World Caspian conference has today started in Azerbaijan`s capital, bringing together Caspian governments, NOCs, IOCs, pipeline consortia, and major gas buyers.
Opening the event, the conference`s chairman Laurent Ruseckas, Senior Associate at IHS CERA, praised Azerbaijan`s role in oil and gas projects. He emphasized the importance of the Baku conference.
Eldar Shiriyev, deputy head of oil & gas department at the Azerbaijani ministry of industry and energy, highlighted oil and gas projects which the country participates in. He said Azerbaijan enjoys close energy cooperation with the European Union.
Shiriyev said Azerbaijan attaches particular importance to diversifying energy transportation routes.
“In addition to Turkey and Georgia we started exporting gas to Greece since 2008. Currently Azerbaijan`s gas is exported via four pipelines - the Baku-Tbilizi-Erzurum, Baku-Russia (Mozdok-Gazimammad), Iran-Azerbaijan and Gazimammad-Georgia,” he added.
Kamal Abbasov, General Manager of Gas Exports at Azerbaijan`s state oil company, SOCAR, said Azerbaijan places particular emphasis on participation in national and transregional energy projects.
“Azerbaijan is today playing the role of a powerful gas exporter, and supplying hydrocarbon resources to the European markets is one of the key priorities for the government of Azerbaijan.”
“Now we are working to ensure the supply of our gas to Syria via the territory of Turkey and Bulgaria. Azerbaijan is today supplying gas to five countries, and the exploration of the second phase of Shahdeniz field will increase the number of consumers of our gas. In this context, we are conducting negotiations with European countries.”
Roland Kobia, Head of the European Union Delegation to Azerbaijan, stressed Azerbaijan`s importance as a gas exporter and a transit country.
The conference is sponsored by Austrian RWE and OMV energy companies, and the Trans Adriatic Pipeline project.
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