Azerbaijan to increase gas supply to Europe - European commissioner for energy

BAKU. July 19 (Interfax) - Europe has received about 14 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas from Azerbaijan since December 31, 2020, European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson said.

"I met [in Baku] with Rovshan Najaf, acting president of SOCAR [the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic] to discuss further developments. Since the start of commercial operations TAP [Trans Adriatic Pipeline] has transported around 14 bcm of gas to Europe," Simson wrote on Twitter on Tuesday.

Simson also met with Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov.

"We also discussed a wide array of cooperation within renewables, energy efficiency, R&I and much more. The potential and willingness are there. Now, we are following-up on the Memorandum of Understanding signed yesterday to turn it into a reality. Azerbaijan has already increased the natural gas deliveries to the EU and this trend will continue, with up to 4 bcm of additional gas this year [in all, 12 bcm of gas is to be supplied in 2022]. Much needed for the winter ahead," Simson tweeted.

As reported earlier, Azerbaijani gas started being delivered to consumers in Italy, Greece, and Bulgaria via TAP on December 31, 2020.

Azerbaijan exported 8.2 bcm of gas to Europe in 2021.

On Monday, Azerbaijan and the EU signed a memorandum of understanding on strategic partnership in the energy sector, which implies the increase of the annual amount of gas to be exported from Azerbaijan to Europe to 20 bcm by 2027.