Azerbaijan, Baku, April 28 / Trend E.Ismayilov /
SOCAR Georgia Gas, a subsidiary of SOCAR Energy Georgia, has already expanded gas production with 105,000 new subscribers under the three-year gas production program in Georgia, a source in SOCAR Energy Georgia said. SOCAR Energy Georgia is subsidiary of the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR).
There are 150,000 new potential subscribers that are planned to cover the three-year program and who will invest at least $40 million in gas production for the country.
The program is left to expand gas production to at least 45,000 new subscribers, the source said.
So far, SOCAR has invested approximately $39 million (64 million lari) with this program. The company intends to invest around $30.5 million (50 million lari).
"The program has already laid down 781 kilometers of gas pipelines. The figure will be raised to 1,000 kilometers by its completion.
The gas production program includes 30 towns and 100 villages.
On Dec. 26, 2008, SOCAR and the Georgian Government signed an agreement to operate 30 gas supply grids and gas distribution networks in the Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Shida and Kvemo Kartli, Ajaria, Guria, Imereti and Samegrelo regions of Georgia. These networks are operated by 24 companies.
In April SOCAR Energy Georgia acquired a gas distribution network in the Marneuli region, populated by the Azerbaijani community. Marneuli has 31 gas supply grids operated by SOCAR Georgia.
Gas distribution networks in Marneuli were previously owned by Wissol, which bought gas from SOCAR and then sold it in Marneuli. Now the whole cycle affiliated with this system will be implemented by SOCAR Energy Georgia.