Next year Azerbaijan hope to reduce the import of Russian gas by 50%, Trend reports citing Khoshbakht Yusifzade, the First Vice-President, as quoted on the State television channel AzTV.
The price of the import of gas has increased. Earlier Azerbaijan purchased gas at $52 per 1,000 cu.m, later at $60 per 1,000 cu.m and now at $110 per 1,000 cu.m. Next year the prices are likely to increase, Yusifzade stated.
Yusifzade noted that presently the SOCAR and foreign companies lift approximately 6.5 bln cu.m. of gas, while 4.5 bln cu.m. more is imported from Russia. The Country needs approximately 15-16 bln cu.m. of gas to cope with the demand, he added.
During late September/October the construction of the South Caucasus gas pipeline will be completed and it is then planned to set up production from the Shah Deniz field, which has over 1 trln cu.m of reserves.
Furthermore, SOCAR itself is involved in the increase of gas production in its own fields. Over the last period SOCAR increased gas production by 2 mln cu.m. a day. Next year the company intends to increase production by 1 - 1.5 bln cu.m. as compared to this year, he stressed.
