Natural gas extortion in Azerbaijan

Tuesday, September 21 In 2009, Azerbaijan extorted 27 billion cubic meters of natural gas. In 2012 it is expected to extort 30 billion cubic meters and by 2020, 55 billion cubic meters. These figures were made available by SOCAR, the Azerbaijani state oil company. According to the same forecasts, the Azeri reserves are calculated to be up to 3.5 trillion cubic meters, but potentially it could be as much as 5 trillion cubic meters. In 2010 Azerbaijan will export more than 7 billion cubic meters, of which 1 billion cubic meters will be exported to Russia, 1.4 billion to Georgia and around 5 billion to Turkey. Negotiations are also underway to export natural gas into Iran. So far Azeri natural gas is exported to the west. But it has been envisaged that Azerbaijan will broaden its spectrum of countries to which it exports its gas. For instance, it is planned that Azerbaijan will provide natural gas to Syria via Turkey. Currently, within the frames of the AGRI project, Azerbaijani gas will be exported into Europe in liquefied form through Georgia and Romania. Azerbiajan will be the main provider of natural gas in the NABUCCO project.