Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR is interested in resuming natural gas purchases from Russia’s Gazprom, despite the country’s role as a major gas exporter, SOCAR Vice President Elshad Nasirov said on 16 October.

Speaking at the Russian Energy Week forum in Moscow, Nasirov said SOCAR had previously bought gas from Gazprom before becoming a supplier to the Russian company. However, he said there were no specific plans for renewed purchases, and did not provide details on potential volumes or the timing of deliveries.

‘We can proudly say that our cooperation with a giant like Gazprom is a very good example, because SOCAR is probably the only company in the world that first bought gas from Gazprom, then supplied gas to Gazprom, and now wants to buy gas again’, Nasirov said.

Asked by journalists how much gas Azerbaijan intends to purchase from Gazprom, Nasirov said there were no specific plans at present.

‘This is simply a fact confirming that we have both bought and sold gas. There are no specific plans’, he said.

Azerbaijan previously relied on Russian gas to meet part of its domestic demand. In 2006, the country imported approximately 4.48 billion cubic metres of gas from Russia.

Imports stopped in 2007 as Azerbaijan expanded domestic production, particularly from the Shah Deniz gas field. Disagreements over gas prices also contributed to the suspension of supplies.

The direction of gas trade subsequently reversed, with Azerbaijan beginning to export gas to Russia in 2010.

In November 2017, SOCAR and Gazprom signed a contract for the supply of 1.6 billion cubic metres of Russian gas. Azerbaijan imported approximately 349 million cubic metres in 2017 and 999 million cubic metres in 2018, before purchases stopped again in autumn 2018.

In November 2022, the two companies signed another agreement covering the supply of up to one billion cubic metres of gas between 15 November 2022 and 1 April 2023.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijan has continued to develop its gas exports to international markets. In January 2026, SOCAR announced the start of gas supplies to Germany and Austria.

The latest announcement does not include details of a potential new supply agreement, including the volume of gas to be purchased or when deliveries could begin.

The Russian Energy Week International Forum is being held in Moscow from 14–16 October, with support from the Russian government, the Ministry of Energy, and the Moscow government. The event is organised by the Roscongress Foundation.