Gas Bridge: Romania does not let Azerbaijan go
On April 1st, Sebastian Ioan Burduja, the Romanian Minister of Energy, embarked on a pivotal visit to Azerbaijan to engage in discussions. The talks primarily explored the feasibility of channeling Azerbaijani liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Romania. A significant focus was placed on leveraging the production capabilities at Azerbaijan's SOCAR terminal, situated within Georgia's port of Kulevi, for the subsequent transport of LNG to Romania's Constanta port. This venture is deemed crucial for bolstering Romania's energy sovereignty and fortifying the European Union's overall energy resilience.
According to News.az, Vugar Bayramov, an Azerbaijani economist and member of the Milli Majlis, revealed plans for Azerbaijan to escalate its gas exports to Europe twofold by 2027, aiming to surpass the threshold of 1 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the European marketplace.
Bayramov elucidated that the anticipated expansion in transborder gas transmission capacity by 31.5 billion cubic meters, coupled with the augmentation of the Greece-Bulgaria interconnector's capacity from 3.5 billion to 5 billion cubic meters, signifies an imminent deepening of the Azerbaijan-Europe partnership.
He highlighted that Azerbaijan currently supplies 1 billion cubic meters of gas annually to Romania, emphasizing the strategic priority of augmenting this supply. This ambition hinges on the formulation and execution of requisite agreements, which could pave the way for an increased gas flow from Azerbaijan to Romania. The expansion is not limited to the Shah Deniz 2 and Absheron fields but extends to five additional fields, nearing operational readiness.
Bayramov pointed out that this escalation in production would naturally curtail domestic consumption in favor of elevated exports to Europe, where Azerbaijan's internal consumption presently surpasses 13 billion cubic meters.
Moreover, Azerbaijan is poised to curtail its natural gas dependency by amplifying its green energy footprint, with a strategic goal to derive 30% of its total energy consumption from renewable sources by 2030, according to the deputy.
"This shift towards alternative energy sources is expected to enhance gas exports to Central and Eastern European nations, including Romania, underscoring Azerbaijan's capacity to amplify its natural gas exports to the European Union in the forthcoming years," Bayramov concluded.
By adopting a style reminiscent of renowned European publications, this article aims to offer a concise and insightful overview of the strategic energy dialogues between Romania and Azerbaijan, highlighting the broader implications for European energy security and cooperation.
Sabina Alizada
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