Azerbaijan’s SOCAR AQS opens office in Turkish Capital

By Gulsen Cagatay

ANKARA (AA) - SOCAR AQS, an Azerbaijani integrated drilling and well services management company, opened a representative office in the Turkish capital Ankara on Friday.

Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Turkey Khazar Ibrahim, Director General of SOCAR AQS Ramin Isayev and former Chairmain of the Turkey-Azerbaijan Parliamentary Friendship Group Necdet Unuvar inaugurated the office in Ankara with a ceremony attended by various Turkish and Azerbaijani oil and natural gas business people.

Ibrahim said that the office would help company's workers for activities in Turkey.

He also stated that it is a “meaningful coincidence” the office was inaugurated on the day of Azerbaijan's 28th anniversary of independence.

- SOCAR AQS to dig 40 wells

Commenting on the SOCAR AQS’s future operations in Turkey, Isayev said the company will dig 40 wells to expand the storage of Salt Lake Natural Gas Storage Facility, located in central Anatolia.

The facility has a capacity to store 600 million cubic meters (mcm) of gas, and has another 600 mcm of capacity under construction with plans to reach 5.4 bcm by 2023-24.

"SOCAR AQS appreciates this significant opportunity to work with China CAMC Engineering Co., Ltd. - IC ICTAS Construction Industries & Trade Inc. on this important project," Isayev underlined.

"We look forward to utilizing full potential of the company, to working in close cooperation with our business partners and stakeholders to make this project a great success for Turkey, our client, and SOCAR AQS," he stressed.

During the implementation of the project, SOCAR AQS will also utilize infrastructure of local Turkish business partners and the company will invest in further training and development of young Turkish drilling specialists.

SOCAR AQS is an integrated drilling and well services company established in 2007 by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and Absheron Drilling Company.