Azerbaijan lowers 2026-2028 gas production forecast

BAKU. Dec 10 (Interfax) - Azerbaijan will produce 48.437 billion cubic meters of gas in 2026, the government said in information for the 2026 draft budget.

Gas production is expected to reach 47.924 bcm in 2027, then 45.667 bcm in 2028 and 48.063 bcm in 2029. No forecast was given for 2025.

A government source told Interfax at the end of last year that the forecast was for gas production of 50.17 bcm in 2025, then 48.639 bcm in 2026, 48.846 bcm in 2027 and 48.022 bcm in 2028.

Thus, the government has reduced its gas production forecasts by 0.4% for 2026, 1.9% for 2027 and 4.9% for 2028.

The Absheron field will go fully on stream in 2029, bolstering the oil and gas industry as a whole, the information for the budget says.

Reports have said commercial gas production in Azerbaijan is projected at 38.6 bcm in 2025, as in 2024, and 38 bcm in 2026, down 1.6% from the 2025 forecast. The 2027 forecast is 36.7 bcm, 2028 is 34.5 bcm and 2029 is 37 bcm.

The State Statistics Committee has said Azerbaijan produced 50.6 bcm of gas in 2024, an increase of 4.3%, including 38.67 bcm of commercial gas, up 6.2%. Gas production rose 1.2% year-on-year to 42.13 bcm in January-October 2025, with commercial gas rising 1.7% to 32.26 bcm.