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Azerbaijan and Iraq have held discussions on expanding cooperation in the oil and gas sector, including the possibility of supplying Azerbaijani natural gas to the Iraqi market through Türkiye.

According to Iraq’s Ministry of Oil, the issue was discussed during a meeting between Izzat Sabir Ismail, Iraq’s Deputy Oil Minister for Gas Affairs, and Zaur Gahramanov, Vice-President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR).

The talks focused on potential investment opportunities, promising areas of energy cooperation and the exchange of expertise aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and supporting the development of the two countries’ oil and gas industries.

During the meeting, Ismail emphasised Iraq’s willingness to expand cooperation with established international energy companies and benefit from their technical and technological capabilities.

He noted that such partnerships could contribute to Iraq’s plans to develop its domestic gas sector, increase production and improve the utilisation of associated petroleum gas generated during oil extraction.

Azerbaijani gas exports to Iraq under consideration

A central topic of the discussions was the potential transportation of Azerbaijani natural gas to Iraq through Turkish territory.

The two sides examined possible arrangements for the proposed supply route, including technical and logistical requirements and available implementation options.

The discussions took place in the context of Iraq’s efforts to diversify its natural gas supply sources and strengthen the resilience of its domestic energy system.

The potential arrangement could create an additional market for Azerbaijani gas while providing Iraq with another option for meeting its energy requirements.

However, the talks remain at an exploratory stage, with no agreement on supply volumes, commercial terms or a timetable for implementation announced.

SOCAR and Iraqi officials agree to continue technical consultations

The meeting also addressed opportunities for broader cooperation in the oil and gas industry, including investment projects and the exchange of technical expertise.

Both sides agreed to maintain coordination and consultations on potential areas of cooperation and to intensify technical meetings aimed at developing the proposed initiatives.

According to the Iraqi Ministry of Oil, continued engagement is expected to create new opportunities for energy cooperation and contribute to strengthening Iraq’s energy infrastructure.