Azerbaijan becomes major gas supplier to Bulgaria

Bulgaria imported 74.8 million cubic meters of natural gas from Azerbaijan in April 2023, up from 44.5 million cubic meters in March and this represents an increase of more than 68%, Turanews.kz reports.

According to Eurostat, the cost of gas deliveries in April was 29.9 million euros, down from 30.5 million euros in March, indicating a decrease of more than 2%.

Bulgaria began importing gas from Azerbaijan through the Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector (IGB) on October 1, 2022. The IGB has a contractual volume of 1 billion cubic meters of gas per year, and a total capacity of 3 billion cubic meters, with the possibility of expansion up to 5 billion cubic meters per year.

Azerbaijan exports gas to Europe through the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which is part of the Southern Gas Corridor. The initial capacity of TAP is 10 billion cubic meters, with the possibility of expansion up to 20 billion cubic meters per year.

The increased gas imports from Azerbaijan are part of Bulgaria’s efforts to diversify its gas supply and reduce its reliance on Russia. The IGB is a key part of this effort, as it provides Bulgaria with a new source of gas from a reliable supplier.

The increased gas imports from Azerbaijan are also a positive development for the Southern Gas Corridor. The corridor is a major infrastructure project that aims to bring Caspian gas to Europe. The increased gas flows through the corridor are a sign that the project is a success.

The increased gas imports from Azerbaijan are a positive development for both Bulgaria and the Southern Gas Corridor. The imports help Bulgaria to diversify its gas supply and reduce its reliance on Russia, while also supporting the development of the Southern Gas Corridor.