September 20 - an event was held on the occasion of the "Oilmen's Day" professional holiday

On September 20, 2023, SOCAR celebrated Oilmen’s Day at the Gulustan Palace, an event honouring oil industry workers in Azerbaijan.

Distinguished attendees included the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov, Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov, Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev, CEO of Azerbaijan Investment Holding Ruslan Alikhanov, President of SOCAR Rovshan Najaf, former bp CEO Lord John Philip Browne, former President of Equinor (former Statoil) Azerbaijan, Tor Ivar Pedersen, bp’s Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkiye Gary Jones, and other notable figures.

The event started with the National Anthem of the Republic of Azerbaijan, followed by a minute of silence to honour the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the country’s territorial integrity.

SOCAR Press Secretary Orkhan Huseynov welcomed the guests and introduced the honorary attendees of ‘Heydar Aliyev and the New Oil Strategy of Azerbaijan’ Conference dedicated to Oil Workers’ Day within the ‘Year of Heydar Aliyev’, former bp CEO Lord John Philip Browne and the former President of Equinor in Azerbaijan Tor-Ivar Pedersen, who participated in the signing of “the Contract of the Century” 29 years ago. He emphasized that the conference was held as a token of respect to the dear memory of the National Leader at the Gulustan Palace, where the contract was signed, highlighting its historical implications.

The attendees watched a video featuring the speeches of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev, focusing on developments in the oil and gas industry over the past year.

Chairman of the SOCAR Supervisory Board and Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov conveyed the congratulations of President Ilham Aliyev on the Oilmen’ Day. The Minister accentuated that the national oil strategy, formulated by the National Leader Heydar Aliyev and successfully implemented under the leadership of the head of state, Mr. Ilham Aliyev, further enhances Azerbaijan’s international profile and promotes the sustainable development of the economy, and plays an exceptional role in boosting the level of material well-being of the population.

Minister of Energy Parviz Shahbazov highlighted the significant impact of projects initiated by National Leader Heydar Aliyev on Azerbaijan’s energy security, economic prosperity, and that of its partners. He shared data indicating the substantial production levels of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli field, which account for 63% of the country’s overall oil production, and Shah Deniz field, which provide nearly 70% of commercial gas output, had produced 580 million tons of oil, 43 million tons of condensate, and 621 million tons of oil-condensate. Parviz Shahbazov noted that 143 billion cubic meters of the 202 billion cubic meters of gas produced from the Shah Deniz field had been transported to foreign markets. According to the Minister of Energy, Azerbaijan’s oil and gas resources would be a priority for many countries for a long time due to the expected demand for reliable and safe supply routes. In this regard, the Minister emphasised the significance of the joint position with partners on the development of ACG until 2050 in oil production in Azerbaijan and stability in the energy markets.

Former bp CEO, Lord John Philip Browne, expressed his admiration for Heydar Aliyev, acknowledging his charismatic and visionary leadership, which has significantly shaped Azerbaijan’s modern history and oil strategy. Noting that the National Leader played an exceptional role in the development of not only the people of Azerbaijan but the entire region, Lord John Philip Browne pointed out that global energy projects such as Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, and Shah Deniz were successfully implemented due to the National Leader’s unwavering support.

Tor-Ivar Pedersen, former Equinor President for Azerbaijan, noted that he witnessed the prominent role played by National Leader Heydar Aliyev in shaping the energy future of Azerbaijan, emphasising the enhancing reputation of Azerbaijan in the international oil and gas industry owing to the National Leader’s skillful leadership. He spoke about various oil and gas projects that reinforced Azerbaijan’s standing in the global energy market, attributing their success to Heydar Aliyev’s foresight and dedication.

SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf celebrated “Oil Industry Workers’ Day”, established by the National Leader Heydar Aliyev in 2001, and emphasized the continuous efforts and support from President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev in enhancing the oil and gas industry. He expressed gratitude to the head of the state for the comprehensive care of the oil workers.

Rovshan Najaf pointed out that SOCAR had organised several scientific-practical conferences, competitions, camps, and lectures in the country and abroad within the ‘Year of Heydar Aliyev’ as this year the Azerbaijani people mark the 100th anniversary of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev. He noted that Azerbaijan’s oil workers always entertain a high esteem for the memory of the National Leader Heydar Aliyev, the founder of our modern state and the author of our new energy strategy, as the National Leader’s wise and visionary energy strategy had paved a way to of all the country’s achievements.

SOCAR’s First Vice-President, academician Khoshbakht Yusifzadeh, spoke about the evolution and the achievements in Azerbaijan’s oil and gas industry, sharing personal his memories about the the National Leader and emphasizing the successful enactment of the National Leader’s new energy strategy by President Ilham Aliyev, which positioned Azerbaijan as a leading state contributing significantly to Europe’s energy security.

The event saw the unveiling of postage stamps dedicated to the National Leader’s 100th anniversary under the joint initiative of the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport and SOCAR. The First Day Covers were stamped by the Minister of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan Parviz Shahbazov, the Minister of Digital Development and Transport Rashad Nabiyev, the CEO of the Azerbaijan Investment Holding Ruslan Alikhanov, and SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf.

At the end of the conference, the event participants were presented with gift frames containing postage stamps.