Politics
Operation of over 2400 oil wells has stopped
The Azerbaijani government is implementing certain reforms in the energy sector to maintain stable oil production. However, recent trends show that despite these reforms, the number of oil wells is decreasing. Among the reasons cited are declining productivity of old wells, Azerbaijan’s commitment to the 2020 OPEC+ agreement to reduce oil output, unprofessional management, and other contributing factors.
According to official data, statistics released in 2024 show that the number of oil wells decreased by 120 units compared to previous years. Last year, the number of operational wells across 11 companies was 5,260.
Meydan TV, referencing the State Statistics Committee’s “Transparency Report in the Extractive Industry,” reports that only 11 out of 45 companies involved in oil and gas production disclosed the number of wells. Accurate statistics for the remaining companies could not be obtained.
Operation of 2400 oil wells ceased over six years
The disclosed figures from 11 companies reveal that between 2019 and 2024, different trends were observed in the number of oil wells in Azerbaijan. In 2019, there were 7,677 wells, but this number fell to 5,678 in 2020 and further to 4,029 in 2021.
The most significant reduction occurred within the oil and gas production departments operating under SOCAR. In 2019, there were 6,153 operational wells, but by 2024, this figure had dropped by more than half to 2,568. Official statements attribute this decline to reduced productivity of old wells and rising operating costs. The state company also claims to prioritize stable production through fewer but more productive wells. However, it appears that stability in production has yet to be achieved.
Other companies reported the following:
Binagadi Oil Company increased the number of wells from 740 in 2019 to 816 in 2024, attributed mainly to technical modernization.
Balakhani Operating Company was added to the statistics in 2022, but in 2024, the number of wells dropped by 174.
BP Exploration (Caspian Sea) Ltd recorded an increase in the number of wells.
Salyan Oil LTD had 240 wells in 2019, which dropped to 214 in 2024.
Karasu Operating Company closed 22 wells since 2019 but was able to restore only 8.
Other companies such as Neftchala Operating Company, Petro-Hongkong-Pirsaat Oil Limited, and Shirvan Operating Company also showed a decrease in the number of wells.

A look at the table shows that the drop in well numbers peaked in 2020. That year, due to the pandemic, industrial activity worldwide was temporarily halted, sharply reducing the demand for oil.
In 2020, OPEC and non-OPEC countries agreed to cut daily oil production by up to 10 million barrels, with Azerbaijan committing to a reduction of 164,000 barrels per day. As part of this obligation, Azerbaijan had to scale back production. Consequently, both the depletion of natural resources and international commitments regarding production directly impacted the number of wells. Experts believe that restoring the numerous wells closed during those years is both a complex and costly process.
Statistics show that since 2019, investments in the oil sector have also decreased. While SOCAR invested nearly 1 billion manats in 2019, this figure fell to 574 million manats by 2024. Compared to 2023, investments dropped by 7.3 percent.
BP Exploration (Caspian Sea) Ltd also reduced its investments by 14 percent. This decline indicates waning interest in restoring wells and implementing new technologies.
“Shutting down oil and gas wells was a wrong decision both technologically and financially”
According to research by the Oil Workers’ Rights Protection Organization, the majority of well closures in 2020 occurred in fields under the control of “Azneft” PU. Nearly 3,000 of its wells had to cease operation. Specifically, 552 wells at Bibiiheybatoil, 441 wells at the Amirov NPU, 158 wells at the Taghiyev NPU, and 374 wells at Siyazanneft were shut down.
At the Oil Rocks (Neft Dashlari) site, 202 wells producing up to 7 tons per day were shut down in May–June 2020 to reduce daily production by 1,200 tons. In addition, 101 wells across 2 fields were closed due to planned changes in extraction methods (with total production of 290 tons), and 10 wells with clogged lift pipes and daily output of 30,000 cubic meters of gas (242 tons of oil) were taken out of operation.
From July to December of the same year, 44 wells producing 1 ton daily (37 tons total) were shut down to cut average daily output by 300 tons, along with another 101 wells across 2 fields (290 tons total).
The closure of these wells has had a significant impact on current production levels. Efforts to restore them have been weak, and as noted earlier, insufficient funds have been allocated. As a result, SOCAR prioritizes operating fewer, more productive wells with lower investment, while the restoration of old wells is seen as an additional financial burden.
One industry expert states that the complete shutdown of onshore and numerous offshore oil and gas wells in 2020 was a mistake from both technological and financial standpoints. According to him, returning onshore wells to operation after a shutdown costs millions of manats.
“When a well is stopped for a short or long period, it inevitably experiences technological complications. The filter section clogs, compressor pipes need replacement, and transport lines break down. Accumulated tar, oil, and sand crystallize in the pipes, making crude oil transportation impossible. The narrowing of pipe diameter increases pressure during transport and overloads the pumps. To solve these problems, kilometers of new pipelines must be laid.”
The expert adds that after a shutdown, tar and sand crystallization causes leaks in the pipes, and clamps installed on these lines cannot fully prevent leakage.
“This clamp issue is especially seen at the Oil Rocks. The most dangerous part is that old pipes are painted and reused under the guise of new ones. This problem exists across many divisions of ‘Azneft’ PU.”
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Politics
Normalization between Azerbaijan and Armenia: Pashinyan praises Aliyev, meeting held in Yerevan
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan stated that he welcomes the statement by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on lifting restrictions on the transit of goods from Azerbaijan to Armenia.
According to Armenpress, Nikol Pashinyan made this statement during the 5th “Silk Road” forum held in Tbilisi.
“This is a very important statement, and I want to appreciate and welcome the Azerbaijani president’s step. An event that seemed incredible a few months ago is now happening: grain from Kazakhstan is being imported to Armenia via Azerbaijan and Georgia.”
President Ilham Aliyev stated on October 21 that Azerbaijan has lifted all existing restrictions on the transit of goods to Armenia. The first transit shipment, a batch of Kazakh wheat, will be delivered to Armenia.
Nikol Pashinyan emphasized that politically, they are ready to ensure transit from Nakhchivan to the main part of Azerbaijan and vice versa via Armenia, but due to technical reasons, this is not possible because the infrastructure is lacking.
“From today, we are ready to facilitate the transit of trucks from Turkey to Azerbaijan through Armenian territory and vice versa,” Pashinyan added.
The normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov, at a joint press conference in Baku with Estonia’s Foreign Minister Margus Tsahna, stated that there is progress in the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He highlighted the significance of the joint initiative regarding the initialing of the peace agreement in Washington and the dissolution of the OSCE Minsk Group:
“Since August 8, we have observed positive outcomes from this process. As the President noted in Washington, peace has already become a reality for us. Recent events confirm this. The Minsk Group is expected to be fully dissolved by December 1.”
The minister also noted that the second line of the Middle Corridor could turn Armenia into a transit country.
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan began in 1988.
In September 2020, after a long-term ceasefire, a 44-day Second Karabakh War took place between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Azerbaijan regained control over part of Karabakh and seven surrounding districts.
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan conducted a local military operation in Karabakh.
On October 15, President Ilham Aliyev raised the Azerbaijani flag in Stepanakert and stated that Azerbaijan had fully restored its sovereignty, that the Karabakh issue was resolved, and that the conflict had ended.
On August 8 of this year, the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia initialed a peace agreement in Washington.
Representatives of civil society from Azerbaijan and Armenia meet in Yerevan
On October 21, a plane operated by Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) landed in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia.
Military expert Edalat Verdiyev shared this information on his Facebook account.
According to reports, the plane carried Azerbaijani experts traveling to Yerevan for a meeting with representatives of civil society from Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Armenpress reported on October 21 that civil society representatives from Armenia and Azerbaijan would hold a bilateral roundtable discussion in Yerevan on October 21–22. Citing the press service of the Center for Security Policy Studies, the agency stated that the discussion would focus on the agenda formed during the August 8 meeting in Washington, measures to strengthen mutual trust between the two societies, potential paths for stable economic cooperation in the South Caucasus, and the prospects for establishing direct and long-term connections between civil society representatives of both countries.
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Politics
Azerbaijan has lifted all existing restrictions on cargo transit to Armenia.
Azerbaijan has lifted all existing restrictions on cargo transit to Armenia.
This was stated by the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, in a joint press statement with the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in Astana.
According to him, the first such transit cargo was the transport of Kazakh grain to Armenia.
“I should also note that Azerbaijan has removed all restrictions on cargo transit to Armenia that existed since the occupation, and the first such transit cargo was the transport of Kazakh grain to Armenia. I believe this is also a good indication that peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia is no longer just on paper, but also practical.”
The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan began in 1988.
In September 2020, after a long-term ceasefire, a 44-day Second Karabakh War took place between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Azerbaijan regained control over part of Karabakh and seven surrounding districts.
On September 19, 2023, Azerbaijan conducted a local military operation in Karabakh.
On October 15, President Ilham Aliyev raised the Azerbaijani flag in Stepanakert and stated that Azerbaijan had fully restored its sovereignty, that the Karabakh issue was resolved, and that the conflict had ended.
On August 8 of this year, the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia initialed a peace agreement in Washington.
The President also stated at the second meeting of the Azerbaijan-Kazakhstan Supreme Interstate Council that a period of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia has already begun.
“Today, a new phase begins; I would even say a new era begins – a period of peace between Azerbaijan and Armenia. The initialing of a peace agreement less than two years after the last military clashes demonstrates a sufficiently high level of political will by both countries.”
He also noted that the role of U.S. President Donald Trump in normalizing relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia deserves the highest recognition.
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Politics
Russia revokes citizenship of Azerbaijani diaspora leader Islam Huseynov
Islam Huseynov, the head of the Azerbaijani diaspora and an advisor to the governor of Russia’s Ulyanovsk region, has been stripped of his Russian citizenship.
The official reason has not yet been announced, and Huseynov himself has declined to comment.
According to RBC sources, the decision was made on October 14 by the Ulyanovsk Regional Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, based on a request from the Federal Security Service (FSB).
The 56-year-old Huseynov has lived in Ulyanovsk for 20 years and has led the Azerbaijani diaspora since 2005.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev awarded Huseynov the “Progress” Medal, while the Ulyanovsk regional government honored him with the “Friendship of Peoples” Medal.
Relations between Russia and Azerbaijan have remained tense over the past 10 months. The tension began after the December 25, 2024 crash of an AZAL aircraft in Kazakhstan, which killed 38 of the 67 passengers. Baku blamed Moscow for the incident, demanding an apology and compensation. Russia, however, urged patience until the investigation’s results were released.
In June 2025, the deaths of Azerbaijani nationals in Yekaterinburg, allegedly as a result of torture, along with injuries to others, were described by Baku as “ethnic pressure.” Pressure on Azerbaijani businessmen in Russia further escalated tensions.
In response, Azerbaijan shut down “Sputnik Azerbaijan”, suspended the operations of the “Russian House”, and arrested several Russian citizens.
On October 9, during a meeting in Dushanbe, Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to President Ilham Aliyev over the crash and pledged to pay compensation. The next day, the head of “Sputnik Azerbaijan” was released from custody.
Huseynov had previously faced criminal charges in 2015, accused of large-scale fraud and money laundering related to the acquisition of a municipal land plot. Investigators alleged he purchased the land for 776,000 rubles, despite its market value being 6 million rubles, and began constructing a residential building instead of the promised hotel.
The court found him guilty of fraud but acquitted him on the money-laundering charge. He was sentenced to four years of probation and fined 1 million rubles. Huseynov pleaded not guilty.
There have been two assassination attempts against him: the first in 2009, when the attacker mistakenly injured a Ulyanovsk customs officer and his wife, and the second in 2012, during which Huseynov’s bodyguard was killed.
In 2022, Huseynov was appointed as an advisor to Governor Alexey Russkikh on a voluntary basis.
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