Azerbaijan exported 7.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas to Europe over the first seven months of the year, up from 6.6 bcm in the same period last year, the energy ministry said on Friday.

Oil output was 16.9 million metric tons for the January to July period, with exports at 14.1 million tons.

Oil production at Azerbaijan’s Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli fields operated by BP BP.L fell to 9.7 million tons in January-July from 10.6 million in the same period last year.

Azerbaijan’s oil production has been declining as output at the complex of offshore oilfields has passed its peak.

BP gas production at the Shah Deniz field increased to 29.5 bcm in January-July from 28.1 bcm a year earlier.

Production of associated petroleum gas, a by-product of oil production, at the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli field amounted to 7.7 bcm in the first seven months of the year.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Nailia Bagirova, Editing by David Goodman and Mark Potter)