OREANDA-NEWS. January 25, 2010. The State Statistics Committee informs that in 2009 the country was produced 50.376 million tons of oil that is by 13.5% more versus the 2008 index.

December’s indicator totaled 4.02 million tons versus 4.098 million in November, 4.437 million tons in October, 4.308 million tons in September, 4.4 million tons in August, 4.308 million tons in July, 4.406 million tons in June, 4.518 million tons in May, 4.49 million tons in April, 4.04 million tons in March, 3.7 million tons in February, 3.628 million tons in January 2009 and 3.5 million tons in December 2008.

At the same time for the past year state sector (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan; SOCAR) produced 7.25 million tons of oil with 1.6% decline of production. Non-state sector produced 43.1 million tons of oil (+16.5%).

“Major non-state producer Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC), developing Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli oilfield block, produced 41.9 million tons of oil for 2009 that is by 16.8% more against the 2008 figure,” the Committee said.

Last December production by the consortium totaled 3.3 million tons versus 3.4 million tons in November, 3.7 million tons in October, 3.7 million tons in September, 3.5 million tons in August, 3.7 million tons in July, 4.3 million tons in June, 3.8 million in May, 3.6 million tons in April and 3.5 million tons in March of 2009.

In January 2009 and December 2008 AIOC produced by 2.9 million tons, in February 3.1 million tons.

In 2008, the country was produced 44.46 million tons of oil (+4.6% against 2007), including 35.9 million tons of oil (+5.3%).

Under the government’s forecast, in 2008 Azerbaijan’s oil production was expected to reach 50.75 million tons versus 41.7 million in 2007. AIOC was expected to produce 42.05 million tons (versus last year’s 32.9 million) and the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) 8.7 million tons against 8.8 million tons a year earlier.

The forecast for 2009 was 61.8 million tons, including for AIOC at the level of 53.15 million and 8.65 million for SOCAR.