Reuters reported that Azeri state energy company SOCAR delayed its decision to cut oil exports via Russia until 2013 and will export 2.0 million tonnes this year through its ex-Soviet neighbour the same as in 2011.

Mr Nuru Guliyev deputy head of SOCAR marketing and economic operations department said "We will be able to ship 2.0 million tonnes of oil via Russia in 2012. We plan to export 1.6 million tonnes in 2013."

Mr Guliyev said the planned decline in export next year was due to rising refined fuel consumption on the domestic market. He said that "Planned reduction in exports via Russia in 2013 is linked to increased volumes of oil refining in Azerbaijan and rise in the consumption of oil products in the country."

He added that SOCAR was in talks with the Russia Transneft on export volumes for the next year, more flexible tariffs for shipments and a possibility to export oil by third parties.

He also said "The current tariff under an intergovernmental agreement is USD 15.67 per tonne but we negotiate different options."

SOCAR said last October that crude shipments via Russia which account for a relatively small part of total Azeri exports will fall to 1.7 million tonnes in 2012 from 2.0 million tonnes in 2011 and 2.25 million tonnes in 2010.

Source - Reuters

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