Azerbaijan, U.S. discuss collaborating in transporting gas
BAKU. Dec 22 (Interfax) - Azerbaijan and the United States online have discussed matters on transporting gas and possibly diversifying joint activities in the area, Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov posted on social media.
The talks occurred between Jabbarov and Caleb Orr, Senior Advisor to the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs.
"During the videoconference with Orr, we highlighted various aspects of the economic partnership between Azerbaijan and the United States, as well as the strategic importance of cooperation in energy and business. We also discussed energy projects being implemented in the South Caucasus and the Caspian Sea region, as well as matters on transporting gas and possibly diversifying joint activities in the area," Jabbarov said.
Azerbaijan and the U.S. have been consistently expanding cooperation in energy, viewing it as a key area of bilateral relations. Baku and Washington signed a memorandum of cooperation in early August 2025, with expanding collaboration in the energy sector being one of the principal areas. On the same day, Exxon Mobil and the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) signed a memorandum of cooperation.
ExxonMobil is one of Azerbaijan's long-standing partners in the oil and gas industry. The company holds a 6.79% stake in the contract to develop the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli fields (deep-water section), as well as a 2.5% stake in BTC Co, which operates the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline.
In early June 2025, the SOCAR and ExxonMobil Corporation agreed to a new format for cooperation in Azerbaijan's oil and gas sector by signing a memorandum of understanding. The document aims to develop further collaboration in the energy sector.
Furthermore, the U.S. actively supports the Southern Gas Corridor and the expansion of energy supplies from Azerbaijan to Europe.
The Southern Gas Corridor, which cost $33 billion to build, exports gas from the Caspian Sea region to Europe. Azerbaijan began exporting gas via the route on December 31, 2020.
