By Ayya Lmahamad

Despite the coronavirus crisis, BP will continue implementing its projects in Azerbaijan at a high level, BP's Vice President for external relations and strategy in Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey said.

He made the remark during the Webinar on "Energy Issues in the post-COVID-19 World" organized via videoconference by Azerbaijan Center of Analysis of International Relations (AIR Center) on June 11.

"Oil and gas sector is currently operating in a self-preservation mode. Despite the crisis, BP will continue implementing its projects in Azerbaijan at a high level. BP is ready to fulfill its obligations for 30 years," he said.

Moreover, he stated that although the coronavirus pandemic created certain problems, it will not affect the start of production of the first oil within the Azeri Central Eastproject scheduled for 2023.

"Nevertheless, we continued all our projects in Azerbaijan with high efficiency. However, COVID-19 had a certain impact on the construction schedule within the framework of the project. Nevertheless, it will not affect the timing of the start of production from this platform, and we are waiting for the first oil from the Azeri Central Eastplatform as originally planned in 2023," Aslanbeyli stated.

Aslanbeyli stressed that BP, as an operator of the Azerbaijan International Operating Company, will fulfill its obligations to reduce oil production from the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshliblock within the OPEC+ deal.

It should be noted that in April 2020, OPEC and non-OPEC countries entered into agreement on reduction of daily oil production by 9.7 million barrels in May-June and 164,000 barrels for Azerbaijan.

At the meeting of OPEC and OPEC+ countries on June 6, it was decided to extend the quota by another month - until the end of July.

© Pakistan Press International, source Asianet-Pakistan