The Energy Ministry of Azerbaijan has announced that construction of the Turkish portion of the Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline will commence soon.

According to reports published by Trends news agency on March 30, the announcement was made during a meeting between Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov and his Turkish counterpart Fateh Donmaz at the Organization of Turkish States conference in Budapest.

During the meeting, the ministers discussed various issues, including gas transit through Turkey, increasing the capacity of the Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline (TANAP), exploring hydrocarbon deposits, and implementing the Igdir-Nakhchivan pipeline project. They also mentioned large wind and solar energy projects to be implemented with investors in Nakhchivan.

The project will be executed by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and Turkish BOTAŞ Petroleum Pipeline Corporation, who signed a memorandum of understanding on the Igdir-Nakhchivan gas pipeline on December 15, 2020.

Currently, Nakhchivan receives gas mainly through Iran. Azerbaijani gas supplies through Turkey will help Nakhchivan meet its gas needs. The Turkish part of the pipeline, which runs from Igdir to Sadarak in Nakhchivan, will be 85 kilometers long.

During the meeting, the importance of signing a relevant document between the two countries to implement new opportunities for cooperation in the energy sector was noted. The statement added that steps towards exporting most of this energy to Turkey, as well as the supplies of green energy to Europe through the fraternal country, were discussed.

The announcement marks another milestone in Azerbaijan's efforts to increase its gas exports and further develop its energy sector.