Azerbaijani national oil company continues gas export to Russia

The explosion at the Russian sector of the gas pipeline Mazdok-Kazimagomed did not affect volumes of export of Azerbaijani gas to Russia, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR),  engaged in the supply of gas to Russia within the medium-term contract signed with Russia's Gazprom, said.

"The explosion took place in the territory of Dagestan, however, he didn't tell about volumes of the export. The other side continues to receive gas based on the previous volumes," the source said.

The source didn't tell about the daily volume of gas exported to Russia. However, on average about 2.5 - 3 million cubic meters of gas per day were transported to Russia. According to SOCAR, Azerbaijan exported 261.7 million cubic meters of gas to Russia in January-April. In April this figure amounted to 89.6 million cubic meters.

The Kazimagomed-Mozdok pipeline transports the Azerbaijani gas to Russia. The pipeline's capacity is about five billion cubic meters per year. Till 2007, Azerbaijan imported about 4.5 billion cubic meters of gas via this pipeline. However, further, Azebaijan refused to import the Russian gas. Since January of 2010 Azerbaijan's gas supplies are transported via this pipeline to Russia.

Azerbaijan started gas supplies to Russia from January 1 of 2010.

The medium-term contract on purchase-sale of Azerbaijani gas to Russia (with the possibility of extension) was signed between SOCAR and Gazprom in Baku Oct. 14. It covers 2010-2014. Under the contract, the Azerbaijani side will annually supply gas amounting to no less than 500 million cubic meters to Russia. The contract did not specify a limit to the gas supply volume. SOCAR will notify the opposite side of the amount which the company can deliver for the next six months.

Earlier, Gazprom and SOCAR have agreed that in 2009 Russia will acquire 1 billion cubic meters of the Azerbaijani gas instead of 500 million and in 2011 the volume of supply will be doubled and reach about 2 billion cubic meters.


/Trend/