Azerbaijan sees gas exports to Europe increasing in 2023, Interfax reports | Popgen Tech

MOSCOW, Dec 17 (Reuters) – Azerbaijan plans to slightly increase its exports of natural gas to Europe next year, the country’s president was quoted as saying on Saturday, as Brussels seeks to replace declining energy supplies from Russia.

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

Last year, Azerbaijan supplied 8.2 bcm of the fuel to Europe, he added.

Aliyev said Azerbaijan’s total gas exports, including supplies to Turkey, are expected to increase to around 24 bcm next year, from 19 bcm in 2021, Interfax reported.

Russian energy giant Gazprom said on Thursday that its gas exports to non-CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries fell by 45.1% to 97.8 bcm between January 1 and December 15 from the same period in 2021.

The International Energy Agency said that if Russia cuts the small share of gas it still supplies to Europe, and Chinese demand for gas recovers from lows hit by COVID-19, the European Union could face a gas shortfall of 27 face bcm in 2023. .

Total EU gas consumption was 412 bcm in 2021.

The leaders of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary also signed an agreement on Saturday on an underwater electric cable under the Black Sea to carry green Azeri energy to Europe.

Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin Editing by Helen Popper

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