Azerbaijan launches gas supply to Slovakia

On December 1, the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) started supplying gas to the largest state-owned energy operator of Slovakia - SPP.

Gas supplies are carried out based on a short-term pilot contract between SOCAR and SPP. The companies aim to develop a longer-term energy partnership, SOCAR told Caliber.Az.

Slovakia has become the twelfth country to receive Azerbaijani gas, along with Türkiye, Georgia, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia and Northern Macedonia.

Notably, Slovakia has recently taken steps to diversify its gas supply sources due to uncertainties surrounding its reliance on Russian gas. Slovenský Plynárenský Priemysel (SPP), the state-owned gas supplier, signed a short-term pilot contract with Azerbaijan's SOCAR to import natural gas. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to secure reliable energy supplies, as the agreement for Russian gas transit through Ukraine is set to expire at the end of 2024.

Azerbaijan supplies natural gas to numerous countries, particularly in Europe, through the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC), which is a critical infrastructure project for diversifying Europe's energy sources. In 2023, Azerbaijan exported approximately 23.9 billion cubic meters of natural gas to markets in the EU, Türkiye, Georgia, and Serbia. Key European destinations include Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania.

The Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), part of the SGC, is a vital route that connects Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas fields to European consumers. 

By Khagan Isayev