BP announced today that it had signed three cooperation agreements in support of its plans for development of Azerbaijani nationals involved in its activities as the operator of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG), Shah Deniz, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) and South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) projects. The documents were signed during a BP and SOCAR-hosted event held in Baku yesterday. The documents re-affirm the twoorganisations’ commitment to cooperating closely in the areas of nationalization of BP’s staff, development and training of professionals specialising in petroleum disciplines, and workforce involved in oil and gas development projects in Azerbaijan.  Gordon Birrell, BP’s Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey, said: “We have planned today’s event to reaffirm our long term strategy and our commitment to enhancing nationalization of staff and development of workforce involved in our operations in Azerbaijan. We have been working together with SOCAR and other relevant government agencies for many years to agree a long-term strategy that would allow us to combine our efforts aimed at developing Azerbaijan’s national workforce specialising in oil and gas sector disciplines. This is in the government’s and BP and co-venturers’ interest that the large majority of the workforce involved in our projects and operations are Azerbaijani nationals. The documents that we have signed today bring us a step closer to realisation of our shared vision.”Rovnag Abdullayev, President of SOCAR, said: “The long-term and technically complex nature of BP-operated projects requires the involvement of qualified national professionals. The documents we signed today are clearly in support of development of such personnel. However some activities and disciplines will continue to require involvement of international experts. This is essential for the timely delivery of the projects that are of strategic importance to our country. While we recognise this requirement, we also see these projects as a unique opportunity for developing Azerbaijan’s local highly skilled oil and gas industry professionals and workforce. SOCAR will continue to work closely with BP to that end”.The documents that were signed yesterday include:1. A Protocol between BP and SOCAR on cooperation in the area of nationalization of staff involved in BP-operated projects. Under this agreement BP commits to continue to develop national professionals so that they can take over the maximum number of jobs within BP. BP also undertakes implementation of a five-year nationalization plan for the years 2014-2018 including progress of nationalization targets, a revised recruitment strategy and various learning and development initiatives. BP and SOCAR will continue to work together to arrange recruitment campaigns, educational and training programmes to support the development of national oil and gas industry professionals. 2. A Memorandum of Understanding with SOCAR on cooperation in the area of training of national workforce at Gobustan Regional Training Centre. Under this agreement BP commits to support vocational and technician discipline training for 100 representatives of the local communities residing in the neighbourhood of the Sangachal Terminal - Sangachal, Umid, Azimkend and Gobustan settlements. BP will cover the tuition and other expenses related to the training of these people at the Gobustan Regional Training Centre. 3. A Memorandum of Understanding with Baku Higher Oil School on cooperation in the area of education. Under this agreement BP commits to engage the students of Baku Higher Oil School in its various programmes, initiatives and development activities as well as deliver business lectures at this educational institution.

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