Azerbaijan's natural gas exports to the European Union have increased by 56% since 2021, reinforcing the country's position as a critical energy supplier amid ongoing diversification efforts in the region.
SOCAR Deputy Vice President Vitaliy Baylarbayov highlighted this growth in an interview with Euronews, describing the nation's transit infrastructure as essential "arteries" linking Caspian resources to European markets.
The commentary underscores the strategic value of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) and South Caucasus pipelines, which remain vital for regional energy flows.
Baylarbayov's remarks come as European buyers continue to seek alternative supply routes to reduce dependency on single-source imports, with Azerbaijan emerging as a key partner in this shift.
This development follows recent operational changes in the region, including BP's transfer of control over the BTC pipeline to SOCAR.
The handover, which also covers general operations for the South Caucasus Gas Pipeline, signals a deeper integration of state-controlled assets in managing critical energy infrastructure.