Speaking at the Baku Energy Forum on June 1, Parviz Shahbazov, the Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan, said that the number of countries where Azerbaijani natural gas is exported may exceed ten. 

"This year's forum coincided with the formation of a new global energy landscape based on the diversification of safe, reliable energy sources and routes, particularly the development of green energy. Azerbaijan is expected to export more than 24 billion cubic meters of gas this year. Of these, about half will be shipped to Europe. At present, Azerbaijani gas is transported to six countries. With the expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor and the launch of the Solidarity Ring project, the number of countries purchasing Azerbaijani gas may exceed ten," the head of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Energy said.

According to him, it is necessary to increase the throughput in the Southern Gas Corridor and the Solidarity Ring for additional gas supplies. "For this to happen, well-coordinated activities of the partner countries are necessary. We plan projects not only for advertising but also for strategic purposes. The development and introduction to the world markets of all types of energy resources of the Caspian Sea have always been carried out and must be carried out in parallel and sequentially. Azerbaijan itself has always been the main locomotive of energy route projects, and this invariable line of our energy policy remains relevant today," Shahbazov said.

He further informed the forum participants that Azerbaijan is currently working on several sources of additional gas volumes: "The main source is our rich gas reserves. Our recoverable gas reserves are 933 billion cubic meters, proven reserves are 1.7 trillion cubic meters, and projected reserves are about 4 trillion cubic meters. In the Absheron, Karabakh, Umid, Babek, and Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli projects, additional gas volumes are expected to be produced and exported to partners in the short and medium term."