Representatives of the Azerbaijan State Oil Company SOCAR confirmed their intention to invest in the gas distribution network in Bulgaria’s territory. The announcement takes place during a working visit to Sofia on which the Azeri should discuss with the Bulgarian institutions details about the opportunity to participate in the development of the gas sector in the country.
The Azeri gas is part of the diversification plan, but it can be transported only when there is a suitable infrastructure.
The interest in the involvement of SOCAR in the gasification of Bulgarian cities was announced during a meeting in Baku in January between Prime Minister Bojko Borisov and the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Alliev.
In 2016 Azerbaijan has extracted over 41 million tonnes of oil and 29.4 billion cm3 of gas. Project cooperation for the construction of the South gas corridor provides for the implementation of gas supplies of 1 billion cubic metres per year from Sah Denniz 2 field starting from 2020. There is an option to rethink the possibilities for supply of natural gas from the new Azerbaijan fields after 2020 through the interconnectors Greece-Bulgaria and Turkey-Bulgaria.
Bulgaria and Azerbaijan are a natural bridge between the Caspian and Black Sea with good relations and broad opportunities for cooperation. Bulgaria recognized the independence of the Republic of Azerbaijan on 14 January 1992 and diplomatic relations between the two countries were started on 5 June 1992.
The Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Baku opened in December 1999. On 16 April 2004, the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev signed a decree to open an Embassy in Sofia.
The EU and Azerbaijan also discuss cooperation in the economy and energy sectors, including under the Eastern Partnership program, set up in 2009 to strengthen relations with former Soviet republics.
