EU desperate for Azerbaijan's gas

RUSSIA / FSU POLITICS - In Brief 06 May 2022 by Alex Teddy

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The EU is trying to wean itself off Russian oil by the end of 2022. The EU would like to reduce Russian gas imports but cannot see a way to stop them totally. 40% of EU gas comes from Russia. If Azerbaijan sells more gas to the EU, then the EU can decrease purchases of Russian gas very substantially.On April 26 Gazprom stopped selling to Poland and Bulgaria because they would not pay in RUB. The EU fears that Russia might cut off gas to more EU countries to penalize them for backing Ukraine.Poland is struggling through. Bulgaria bought 73% of its gas from Russia and is facing an energy crisis. On April 28 the Bulgarian PM said he sought to buy more gas from Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan sells 300 million cubic meters of gas a year to Bulgaria per annum. That is a trifling amount.In 2020 the Trans Adriatic Pipeline was commissioned to take gas from Azerbaijan through Greece and Albania to Italy. The pipeline is under construction. It is part of the Southern Gas Corridor from Shah Deniz II Field in the Caspian Sea. It is 3 500 km long passes through Turkey.The Southern Gas Corridor will allow the EU to reduce dependence on Russian. The EU bought 155 billion cubic meters (BCM) of gas from Russia. In 2022 the EU has bought much less in the four months than in the same period in 2021. Azerbaijan has proven gas reserves of 1 700 trillion cubic meters.Gas from Azerbaijan can help the EU cut Russian gas imports but are insufficient to replace all the gas from Russia.The Interconnector Greek Bulgaria is a pipeline to bring gas from Azerbaijan to those countries. In late 2022 it will be operational. It cost USD 253 million. Romania wants to be connected to it too one day.Azerbaijan exp...