Oil exploration

Azerbaijan offers free expertise

Amir Ahmadov in Baku

Azerbaijan with a burgeoning oil industry producing nearly one million barrels per day is ready to help Sri Lanka in oil exploration by providing engineering experts free of charge from Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan’s Industry Energy Minister Natiq Aliyev offered this to Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan Mohammed Zuhair. Zuhair with residence in Iran was in Baku on an official visit, which included a meeting with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Azerbaijan. Minister Aliyer said they had vast experience in oil exploration both on shore and off shore.

Azerbaijan oil engineers had great expertise in oil exploration, he said.

“Our technocrats are working in oil fields all over the world.

“The Government of Azerbaijan will be happy to co-operate and support Sri Lanka’s efforts at oil exploration”, he said.

Zuhair said he would inform the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry and Petroleum Resources Development Ministry of the offer. He said Sri Lanka would be appreciative of the Azerbaijan offer of cooperation.

Azerbaijan, to the North of Iran and South of Russia exports oil sold on tender and a fast developing economy with a per capita income of US $ 4,430. The country, with its capital Baku on the land locked Caspian Sea exports natural gas by pipeline to neighbouring countries, mainly to Turkey.