Russia and Iran Up, Azerbaijan Down in Georgia's 2023 Gas Import Charts
According to data from the National Statistics Office of Georgia, in 2023, Georgia experienced an increase in its reliance on imports of petroleum gases and other gaseous hydrocarbons, specifically natural gas, from Russia and Iran while witnessing a decrease in imports from Azerbaijan. This shift was primarily attributed to a rise in Georgia's annual gas consumption, as the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development reported.
The country imported 486 thousand tons of gas from Russia in 2023, marking a 16.54% increase (69 thousand tons) compared to the previous year. In terms of US dollars, Georgia spent $131 million on Russian gas in 2023, reflecting an 18% increase ($19 million) from the previous year.
Imports from Iran also saw a substantial increase, although its share in the total purchases remained relatively small. In 2022, Georgia imported only 10.38 tons of gas from Iran, which surged by 606.5% to 73.28 tons in 2023. Similarly, the expenditure on Iranian gas witnessed a fourfold increase, rising from $30.65 thousand in 2022 to $142 thousand in 2023.
Conversely, imports from Azerbaijan experienced a decrease of -3.99%, with 1.77 million tons imported in 2023 compared to 1.84 million tons in 2022. The amount spent on Azerbaijani gas in 2023 was $314 million, indicating a 9.20% decrease from the previous year.