Azerbaijan resumes gas supplies to Bulgaria following technical disruption

Azerbaijan has officially resumed gas supplies to Bulgaria under a long-term contract, the country’s state natural gas supplier Bulgargaz confirmed.

In a statement issued on January 19, Bulgargaz announced that gas deliveries had recommenced after a brief interruption that began on January 7, Caliber.Az reports citing local media.

The company had previously communicated that the supply suspension was due to technical reasons, with an initial expectation that services would resume by January 11. However, on January 10, British multinational oil and gas company bp reported a technical issue with the pipeline transporting condensate from the Shah Deniz Alpha platform to the Sangachal terminal, which led to a temporary shutdown of the platform.

Production resumed on the Shah Deniz Alpha platform on the evening of January 18 after the technical issue with the condensate pipeline was fully resolved. bp-Azerbaijan stated that production and export operations would be gradually ramped up, with the platform expected to reach full capacity in the coming days.

The suspension of production from the Shah Deniz Alpha platform had affected the supply of Azerbaijani gas to Bulgaria, which holds a long-term agreement with Azerbaijan for the annual delivery of 1 billion cubic metres of natural gas. The resumption of supply marks a resolution to the technical disruption and reaffirms Azerbaijan’s commitment to fulfilling its energy export agreements.

Both parties have expressed confidence that the supply of gas will continue without further interruptions, ensuring the stability of energy supplies to Bulgaria.

By Vafa Guliyeva