BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Turkey stated its intention to buy more natural gas from Azerbaijan from the development of Phase 2 of the offshore Shah Deniz gas field, officials said.
Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev touted the acceleration of Phase 2 of the offshore Caspian gas field on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, which ran from Jan. 28 to Feb. 1.
Taner Yildiz, Turkish commerce and energy adviser to Parliament, said during a meeting in the Azeri capital, Baku, that his country is interested in further gas purchases from Azerbaijan but needs to vet the conditions of any agreements, the Trend Capital news agency reported Friday.
Azeri Minister for Industry and Energy Natig Aliyev, for his part, said his country has the potential to meet Turkish demands.
The initial phase of Shah Deniz forecasts 318 billion cubic feet of gas production. That would increase to 706 billion cubic feet once Phase 2 comes online in 2012.
Yildiz echoed the Azeri sentiments, saying Turkey viewed Azerbaijan as a viable energy partner.
Gas production at Shah Deniz commenced in December 2006.
