Azerbaijan believes it is possible to double its gas supplies to the EU, but this requires new investments in expanding production and supply infrastructure, Elchin Amirbayov, the Azerbaijani President’s Representative on Special Assignments, said in an interview with the Italian portal Formiche.net .
He noted that this idea is not new: “When European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen visited Baku in July 2022, a Memorandum of Understanding on a strategic partnership between the EU and Azerbaijan in the energy sector was signed. The goal of this document is to expand the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC) infrastructure and thus double Azerbaijani gas exports to the EU by 2027 – from 10 billion cubic meters to 20 billion cubic meters per year.”
Amirbayov stated that this process has already begun: “We are moving towards this goal. The first phase of TAP expansion began in January 2026, providing an additional 1.2 billion cubic meters of capacity per year for Europe. Of this additional capacity, 1 billion cubic meters is being sent to Italy. This demonstrates that the corridor is not static, but rather is continuously developing in response to Europe’s energy needs.”
He also noted that there is significant potential for further work in this direction: “Azerbaijan has repeatedly stated its readiness to increase gas supplies to Europe. However, this requires further expansion of the Southern Gas Corridor infrastructure. This, in turn, necessitates attracting new investment to increase production and expand the pipeline’s capacity.”
According to him, in 2025, Azerbaijan will supply 12.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas to the EU, a 53.8% increase compared to 2021 (the first year of such supplies – ed.). Amirbayov added that, given the current geopolitical uncertainty, expanding the SGC’s capacity increasingly serves Europe’s strategic interests.
“Financing is crucial here. As Europe continues its efforts to diversify its energy supply sources, the relevant European Union institutions can make an important contribution to creating the financial conditions for the necessary investments,” he said.
