More gas for Turkey

Most of the natural gas from the Shahdeniz field in Azerbaijan is supplied to Turkey. By the end of 2008 Shahdeniz will be pumping 22 million cubic metres of natural gas a day, to be consumed in Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia. Turkey is ready to receive more natural gas from the field, especially in winter, and Azerbaijan is ready to supply it as soon as it has satisfied domestic demand.

July this year saw a general increase in gas and oil supplies from Azerbaijan but due to the August events and the transport delays they created exploration has also slowed down. Statistical data on the extent of the slowdown is not as yet available.

The Shahdeniz natural gas extracting contract was signed in 1996. The members of the consortium which exploits the field are BP (the technical operator, with 25.5% of shares), Statoil (the commercial operator, also with 25.5%), Azeri State Oil Company (10%), LUKoil (10%), NICO (10%), TotalFinaELF (10 %), and TRAO (9%).