BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 24. bp is now looking to build on its experience in Azerbaijan through new opportunities across the wider region, including projects in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, said Kimberly Harrington, Head of U.S. International Affairs at bp America.
She made the remarks during the seventh annual Caspian Business Forum held by the Caspian Policy Center (CPC) in New York.
“What makes these developments exciting is that they really build on all of the expertise, all of the experience that Azerbaijan has, all the capabilities that it has developed over the past 30 years,” she said, adding that they demonstrate how “expertise, partnership, and infrastructure-led thinking” can unlock opportunities across the wider region.
Harrington described the development of the Caspian’s energy sector as a model of long-term cooperation among governments, businesses, and various communities.
“From a bp perspective, when we look at the Caspian, we really see one of the most incredible energy success stories of our time,” Harrington said. “That is a really extraordinary success story that came together because of the compelling work of the private sector, governments, and communities to achieve a long-term shared vision together.”
Turning to investment decisions, Harrington stressed that the Caspian region competes with opportunities around the world for finite private capital. “Before committing any long-term capital, we look for several factors, including resilient infrastructure,” she said. “In an age where capital can move anywhere in the world, we’re always going to look for projects that can be valuable to our shareholders and bring back reliable returns.”
