BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 2. Growing demand, well-developed infrastructure, and strong partnerships form the foundation of a long-term strategy in the gas industry, bp’s Vice President for Business Development in the Caspian Region, Chingiz Hajiyev, said during a panel discussion held as part of Baku Energy Week, Trend reports.
According to him, the first key factor is demand, which continues to grow amid industrialization, electrification, and population growth.
“Gas is not being displaced by other energy sources at present; on the contrary, it remains a resource in high demand,” he noted.
The second important element is infrastructure, noted C. Hajiyev.
In his words, amid growing risks of supply disruptions, the importance of energy infrastructure is constantly increasing.
Hajiyev emphasized that gas is not only a fuel but also a strategic link between economies, industries, and states, and it is the presence of the appropriate infrastructure that enables this function.
According to him, the Southern Gas Corridor serves as an example.
He recalled that nearly three decades ago, SOCAR, the Azerbaijani government, bp, and their partners made the decision to create a 3,500-kilometer pipeline corridor stretching from the Caspian Sea to Southern Europe.
Despite the scepticism surrounding the project at the time, he noted, the infrastructure created today helps ensure energy stability amid geopolitical uncertainty.
The third pillar of the long-term strategy is partnership. “Projects based on partnership succeed when each party has a stake in the overall outcome,” Hajiyev added.
He noted that steady demand, the existing and expanding infrastructure of the Southern Gas Corridor, as well as the long-standing cooperation between SOCAR, the Government of Azerbaijan, bp, and other project participants, form the foundation of a long-term and sustainable development strategy for the gas industry.
