Azernews.Az

BAKU – Azerbaijan will be able to deliver to Ukraine about five billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG) annually, Minister of Industry and Energy Natig Aliyev told the press in Ukraine.

"Our current plans include liquefied gas… We think that Azerbaijan can supply about 5 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas to Ukraine every year," Aliyev was quoted by RBK-Ukraine news agency as saying.

The minister further noted that Azerbaijan plans to increase supplies of crude oil to Ukraine. He said that according to preliminary projections, the deliveries will amount to 5 million tons per year.

"Ukraine should express its readiness to accept that amount," Aliyev said, referring to crude oil and oil products to be supplied to Ukrainian refineries.

These agreements have been drafted after meetings between the two countries’ presidents.

"Both documents have been initially assessed by the governments of our countries," Aliyev said, adding that "the formal aspects" of the agreements are now being addressed.

Ukraine is seeking to join Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romania Interconnector (AGRI) project. It involves the supply of Azerbaijani liquefied gas through Georgia and the Black Sea to Romania. In particular, Ukraine intends to construct a terminal for liquefied natural gas in Odessa.

Three capacity volumes are being considered for the project: 2 billion cubic meters of gas per year, 5 billion cubic meters and 8 billion cubic meters, Minister Aliyev said earlier. The cost is initially estimated at 1.2 billion to 4.5 billion euros depending on capacity.

Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania and Hungary signed a statement on the AGRI project in Baku September 14.

The project envisages transporting Azerbaijani gas via pipelines to the Black Sea coast of Georgia, where the gas will be liquefied and then delivered to a terminal at the Romanian port of Constanta via tankers. The gas will be transported to consumers in Romania and other European countries.