Baku: Azerbaijan's state oil and gas company SOCAR announced on Friday that it initiated the supply of natural gas to Austria and Germany through the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) earlier this month. The company described this development as entering 'another important stage' in Azerbaijani gas exports, with significant volumes being delivered to Southern and Central European markets via TAP.

According to Anadolu Agency, SOCAR's statement highlighted that, starting from January 2026, Azerbaijani gas will be supplied to buyers in Austria and Germany. The supply route through Italy expands the geographical reach of Azerbaijani gas in Europe, increasing the total number of countries purchasing Azerbaijani gas to 16.

SOCAR emphasized its ongoing efforts to expand gas marketing activities across Europe and the Middle East, aiming to broaden its cooperation portfolio with buyers and strengthen Azerbaijan's position as a reliable energy supplier. Presently, Azerbaijan supplies natural gas to countries including Trkiye, Georgia, Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Syria.

In a related development, Germany's state-owned energy company, Securing Energy for Europe (SEFE), signed a 10-year natural gas purchase agreement with SOCAR in June 2025.