Romania’s state-controlled natural gas company Romgaz and Azeri company Socar Trading, a subsidiary of the State Oil Company of the Republic (SOCAR) of Azerbaijan, signed on December 16 the first individual contract for gas deliveries from Azerbaijan to Romania.

Azerbaijan is a relatively new supplier of natural gas to Europe, seen as an alternative to Russian gas.

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said that his country’s gas exports to Europe were set to rise to “at least” 11.6 bln cubic metres (bcm) next year from an estimated 11.3 bcm this year, the Interfax news agency reported.

The individual contract allows for scheduled gas deliveries starting with January 1, 2023, through the Southern Corridor, by using transmission capacities of the TAP and IGB pipelines and the Bulgarian and Romanian transmission systems. It is based on the General Agreement recently concluded between the two companies, with unlimited terms.

The parties plan to continue their cooperation relationship and enhance the mechanisms for natural gas deliveries from Azerbaijan to Romania.

andrei@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Facebook/Romgaz)