SOCAR holds event to mark first gas production from Absheron field

An event to mark the commencement of gas supply from the "Absheron" gas and condensate field took place on August 31.

In his opening speech at the event, Chairman of SOCAR Supervisory Board and Azerbaijan’s Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov stated that the start of production at the Absheron gas condensate field located in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, is of great importance both for Azerbaijan and the companies involved in the project.

The minister emphasized that the first gas production from the Absheron gas condensate field is being carried out in this significant year for Azerbaijan, which has been declared the "Year of Heydar Aliyev" by the relevant Order of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Mr. Ilham Aliyev. It was noted that the work on the second stage of development of the Absheron gas condensate field is going on intensively. 

Jabbarov stated that Azerbaijan's successful cooperation in the field of energy has made it a reliable partner on an international scale. The minister recalled the signing ceremony on August 4 this year between SOCAR, TotalEnergies and ADNOC for the sale of a 30% stake in the Absheron gas condensate field, describing this document as yet another manifestation of the favorable investment environment created in Azerbaijan. 

During his speech Parviz Shahbazov, Minister of Energy of the Republic of Azerbaijan, emphasized that the strategic importance of the Absheron field starting up with high production at a time when the importance of gas supply sources in the world is determined based on the security factor, and accordingly, Azerbaijan’s role as a reliable energy supplier is strengthened, and the demand for Azerbaijan’s energy resources is increasing. 

The minister said that this is a clear indicator of the rich energy resources of Azerbaijan and the sustainability of its mission as an energy supplier, pointing out that this is a reliable guarantee of uninterrupted energy supply to consumers and the stability of oil and condensate production in Azerbaijan. 

He stated that the Absheron field, along with diversifying the sources of gas production and consumption in Azerbaijan, will also be an important source of additional gas supply to Europe.

Addressing the event, SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf spoke about the history of the development of the Absheron gas and condensate field and the important steps taken together with international partners over the past years. 

He underlined that the Absheron gas and condensate field will make a valuable contribution to increasing the production potential of Azerbaijan and strengthening its international position.

In his speech, Rovshan Najaf also focused on the steps that are being taken to fulfill the tasks given by the Head of the State on the second stage of the development of the Absheron gas condensate field.

Expressing his satisfaction with the start of production in the Absheron gas and condensate field in the Early Production Scheme (EPS) phase, Patrick Pouyanneé, CEO of TotalEnergies, pointed out that the cooperation with SOCAR and the newly joined ADNOC will be further strengthened.

He spoke about the ongoing work with partner companies on the next stage of development of the Absheron gas condensate field. Patrick Pouyanneé noted that natural gas is the cleanest fuel among hydrocarbons and added that the Absheron project is fully compatible with TotalEnergies’ commitment to the transition to low-carbon energy.

Musabbeh Al Kaabi, Executive Director of Low Carbon Solutions and International Growth Directorate at ADNOC, expressed his satisfaction with the participation in the event dedicated to the production of first gas from the Absheron field together with SOCAR and TotalEnergies and described it as another important milestone in the strategic relations and energy partnership between the United Arab Emirates and Azerbaijan. 

Referring to ADNOC's tradition and decades of rich experience in the field of low-carbon energy production, Al Kaabi pointed out that they look forward to ADNOC’s important role in this strategically important project.

Following the speeches, a video dedicated to the EPS stage of the development of the Absheron gas and condensate field was demonstrated.