Azerbaijan  has been successfully implementing the state program on social-economic development of regions for 2009-2013 as well as the state program on social-economic development of Baku and its settlements for 2011-2013. Important tasks on continuous and safe gas supply to consumers, provision of gas supply to dwelling settlements, resuming of “blue fuel” supply, and conduction of overhaul repair on gas supply network have been assigned to SOCAR Azerigaz PA within the framework of the mentioned programs. The work that is carried out by the order of Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev is ensuring dynamic development of gas industry. 

It is noteworthy that operations on gas supply provision and resuming of gas supply have been substantially accelerated in the republic compared to the previous years. It is not surprising that, within 7 months alone, gas was supplied to as many as 113 dwelling settlements. 

398,101 new subscribers including 125,996 new subscribers in Baku were supplied with gas through 2009-2013. 82,577 new subscribers, including 18,169 residing in Baku, were supplied with gas following the outcomes of the past period of 2013. 

One of the primary duties of Azerigaz PA is to ensure an uninterrupted supply of natural gas to consumers who must make full timely payments for it. Considerable success was gained owing to purposeful measures undertaken in this direction. Thus, gas worth 133,090.47 thousand AZN was sold to the population over the past 7 months of this year. Meanwhile, gas fee collection totaled 135,674.40 thousand AZN (101.94%). 

1,372,667 meters including 723,533 new smart-meters operating on basis of advance payment were installed in the apartments of subscribers during 2009-2013. 311,332 meters (204,178 smart-meters) have been installed for consumers this year alone. As the result, the number of consumers supplied with gas within the republic totaled 1,561,750 subscribers as of August 1. 679,440 of them are residing in Baku. 99.99% of all consumers have been supplied with meters so far. 

Gas pipelines with a total length of 21,825.4km were laid in 2009-2013 for increasing capacities of the gas transportation system of Azerbaijan. 5,667.7 km of the mentioned pipelines have been laid this year. An overall repair was carried out on gas pipelines with total length of 6,907.6km (953.7km in this year) through 2009-2013 in order to ensure operation of gas industry in safe and uninterrupted mode. 13 gas distribution stations and control points were built throughout this period. About 40 stations underwent full repair. 

The work on gas infrastructure development was continued just like in previous years. In particular, different diameter pipelines with expired service life were replaced and reconstructed. 

Old mechanical meters are replaced with new devices in order to reduce gas losses while supplying it to subscribers. Subscribers who had no meters to be used before are supplied with gas through new devices. Meanwhile, new technologies are broadly introduced in this process. 

Lots of gas supply-related operations were carried out over the past period of 2013. In particular, relevant operations were performed in Mingachevir, Hajigabul, Imishli, Neftchala, Sabirabad, Salyan, Zardab, Saatly, Ismayilly, Shamakhy, Agstafa, Gobustan, Shamkir, Tovuz, Shabran, Goygol, Khachmaz, Guba, Siyazan, Bilasuvar, Lerik, Masally, Astara, Jalilabad, Yardimly, Balakan, Gah, Ujar, Shirvan, Gabala, Oghuz, Sheki and Zagatala regions of the republic. Measures undertaken to provide gas supply within the country also covered near-front regions as gas supply provision of Aghdam and Gazakh districts has been fully completed. 

A program of special measures was prepared for balanced operation of gas industry of the republic and gas supply of subscribers during autumn-winter of 2013-2014. In particular, the households will be instructed for proper using of gas, operation of gas devices that has no conformity certificates will be stopped, measures against illegal gas consumption will be undertaken, etc. It is noteworthy that corresponding acts were issued from January to July of this year against 16,703 consumers for violation of natural gas consumption rules. Besides, the fee for gas consumed illegally was collected. 

Noteworthy are also operations on provision of subscribers with smart-meters on advance payment basis. The number of subscribers supplied with such meters totaled 773,758 as of August 1, 2013. Just compare, this indicator totaled approx 594,000 subscribers as of January 1. Broad use of advance payment for consumed gas caused the necessity for increasing the number of points where such operations could be performed. It is noteworthy that new terminals installed by Modeniz LLC have been added to available ways of payment since March of this year. 

Creation of the electronic information base on medium and high pressure gas network has been completed. This system enables to control gas industry online as well as ensure high accuracy of repair and emergency operations. The electronic base will also enable to prevent gas losses timely, promote provision of high quality services to subscribers as well as regulate gas economy related processes. 

Considerable work was carried out for preparation of design estimate documentation.  One of the latest measures for ensuring control over labor protection and observance of safety techniques in organizations of Azerigaz PA was preparation of rules for using a card system. These rules were approved by Azerigaz and the trade union committee. All subdivisions of PA were informed about the application of new rules. 

Intensive work for introduction of international standards ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 in activity of Azerigaz PU is currently carried out under support of SOCAR Department for Education, Training and Certification. Irregularities revealed during internal audit are improved gradually. 

A number of environmental protection related activities were carried out as well. In particular, the work on development of standards of maximum permitted emissions including passportization of hazardous wastes has been continued. The working group of SOCAR Ecology Department continues work on application of new standards in order to determine the volumes of hydrocarbon emission into the atmosphere.