OREANDA-NEWS. February 24, 2010. The State Statistics Committee (SSC) informs that this January the country was produced 2.267 bn cu m of natural gas that exceeds by 16.8% production in January 2009.

Last December gas production totaled 2.197 bn cu and the best index of 2009 was observed in April - 3.27 bn cu m.

This January’s gas delivery made up 1.502 bn cu m (-6.7%) versus 1.503 million cu m last December and last year’s best indicator in February - 1.529 bn cu m.

“Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC), developing Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) oil field, Shah Deniz gas condensate field partnership and other private producers extracted 946.7 million cu m of gas in January 2010 (-5.3%),” the Committee reported.

Last December’s gas production by private operators was 1 bn cu m versus the 2009 best figure in March – 1.028 bn cu m.

In 2009, gas production reached 23.58 bn cu m (+0.8%) and delivery 16.3 bn cu m (-0.1%). Private producers extracted 10.1 bn cu m of gas (+9%).

In 2008, the country produced 22.847 bn cu m of natural gas (+35.6% against the 2007 index), including 9.146 bn cu m (+66.1%) by private producers.