Von der Leyen heads to Azerbaijan to secure new gas import deal

Brussels, July 18 - Neftegaz.RU. According to Euronews, European commission president Ursula von der Leyen is meeting Azerbaijani officials in Baku today, and is expected to close a deal to increase imports of natural gas to the EU.

The deal would help the EU reduce its reliance on Russian energy, and could also address concerns over gas supplies after the Nord Stream 1 pipeline began scheduled maintenance last week.

Work on the pipline from Russia to Germany is due to continue until the end of this week, but the Russian Foreign Ministry said that the future of the pipeline was linked to sanctions against Moscow.

According to a document seen by Reuters, the proposed deal between Baku and the EU would increase gas flow into the bloc through the Southern Gas Corridor pipeline.
The document said:

• The Sides aspire to support bilateral trade of natural gas, including through exports to the EU, via the Southern Gas Corridor, of at least 20 billion m³ of gas annually by 2027, in accordance with commercial viability and market demand

Last year, the pipeline transported 8 billion m³ of gas into the EU.
The increase would require Azerbaijan to increase its domestic gas production.