OREANDA-NEWS. December 28, 2010. The president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), Rovnag Abdullayev, has familiarized himself with the course of reconstruction of Astara gas compressor station.

The SOCAR reports that Company’s head held a special meeting where he gave specific instructions on expansion of possibilities for gas transportation in southern direction in the near future.

In turn, Agasaf Aliyev, director of the SOCAR Department of Capital Investments, said that six out of the planned 10 new compressor units were installed at the station. After its full upgrade the station will be able to increase the pressure of the transported gas up to 70-75 Bars.

The station will be the main infrastructure to ensure realization of a long-term contract for Azeri gas export to Iran. The contract will be signed between the SOCAR Iran’s NIGEC. It is expected to export 5 bn cu m of gas a year.