Azerbaijani pipelines act as critical 'arteries' linking Caspian gas to Europe, says SOCAR Executive

Azerbaijani pipelines act as critical 'arteries' linking Caspian gas to Europe, says SOCAR Executive In partnership with © - Copyright Euronews Copyright Euronews By Euronews Published on 30/07/2026 - 16:00 GMT+2 In an interview with Euronews, SOCAR energy executives discussed Azerbaijan’s expanding role in European energy security, following a 56 per cent increase in natural gas exports to the EU since 2021. Speaking on Business Horizons, SOCAR Deputy Vice President Vitaliy Baylarbayov described the nation's transit corridors- including the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and South Caucasus pipelines - as essential "arteries which are connecting us with the rest of the world." ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The supplies travel via the 3,500-kilometre Southern Gas Corridor, a network operated by state firm SOCAR. In 2025, Italy remained the largest European consumer, importing 9.5 billion cubic metres, representing 16 per cent of its total gas imports. Operations Director Elkhan Sultanov emphasised that "in our industry, precision is essential," explaining that constant monitoring along the 3,500km Southern Gas Corridor is necessary to guarantee safe, uninterrupted deliveries across Europe. Go to accessibility shortcuts