Azerbaijan, U.S. discuss Southern Gas Corridor progress

By Azernews

Azerbaijan and U.S. have discussed the progress of the Southern Gas Corridor, Azernews reports, citing the Energy Ministry.

The discussion took place during a meeting between Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Bureau of Energy Resources at U.S. Department of State Laura Lochman, who is on a visit to Azerbaijan as part of her participation in the Baku Energy Week.

During the meeting, the parties also discussed the transportation of natural gas to Turkiye and European countries, as well as the issues arising from the expansion of the corridor.

The parties discussed the electricity and hydrogen production from renewable energy sources, as well as the projects implemented and planned related to the export.

Moreover, the importance of realizing Azerbaijan's priorities for green energy was assessed in the aspect of diversification of energy supplies to Europe. In addition, the importance of mutual cooperation was noted both for the use of the enormous wind potential of the Caspian Sea and for the achievement of the goals of increasing the transmission capacity of the Southern Gas Corridor.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Bureau of Energy Resources Laura Lochman arrived in Azerbaijan on May 30. During the visit from May 30 to June 2, she will meet with officials of the country and take part in the events of the Baku Energy Week.

To recall, the Southern Gas Corridor is an initiative of the European Commission to build a natural gas supply route from the Caspian and Middle Eastern regions to Europe. The South Caucasus Pipeline, the Trans-Anatolian Pipeline (TANAP), and the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline link Azerbaijan to Europe (TAP). The pipeline is powered by natural gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas field in the Caspian Sea's second stage.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Azerbaijan and U.S. cooperate in different spheres of economy. Together, the two countries work to promote European energy security, expand trade and investment, and combat terrorism and transnational threats. The trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $517.5 million in 2021.