Azerbaijan's natural gas underground storage facilities (USF) currently hold 2.500 billion cubic meters ( bcm) of gas, State Oil Company of the Azerbaijani Republic (SOCAR) told Interfax.


Since the beginning of the year, two new wells have been commissioned at the USF and 26 existing wells have been overhauled. A total of 1.555 bcm of gas had been added to storage as of August 22, since the "injection season" began at the end of March. Active gas in underground storage now totals 2.500 bcm including amounts carried over from last year.


By the end of the injection season in November, active gas in the USF will total 3.200 bcm, according to SOCAR data.


SOCAR also reported that USF operator Azneft has drafted a strategic development plan stipulating an increase in USF capacity to 5 bcm. The plan stipulates drilling new wells, selecting sites for drilling new wells, rebuilding surface equipment and improving existing infrastructure.


The injections into USF ensure that Azerbaijan will not have no problems supplying gas to consumers in the coming fall-winter season.



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