SOCAR identifies main challenges facing offshore projects

The lack of access to open seas remains one of the key challenges faced by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), SOCAR Vice President Afgan Isayev said speaking at the 31st Baku Energy Forum, according to Report.

"Because of this, logistics is a very complicated process. However, our projects have demonstrated that even the most complex and extremely difficult logistical tasks can be solved. Geopolitical difficulties consistently remain a serious challenge. As is known, we have faced them since 2022, and this situation has been further aggravated amid new unfortunate geopolitical events in 2026, which significantly complicates the implementation of large-scale projects.

Another serious challenge is, of course, equipment supply. Given the enormous and exponentially growing demand for energy resources, ensuring timely deliveries from OEM manufacturers (original equipment manufacturers) has become extremely difficult. It is also worth considering the significant volume of backlog orders in such projects," Isayev said.

The company vice president also noted that there is currently a shortage of infrastructure for offshore project implementation (projects on the continental shelf).

"At the same time, I am absolutely convinced that we are capable of overcoming this problem. The oil and gas industry has already demonstrated that by forming consortia and consolidating the efforts of all stakeholders, for example to unlock the potential of offshore renewable energy-and our potential in offshore renewables is enormous, reaching 157 gigawatts-we can replicate what was achieved in oil and gas infrastructure. We can pool resources, distribute costs and risks, and essentially build the necessary infrastructure. I am firmly convinced that this is entirely feasible and will become reality once projects such as the Trans-Caspian cable are launched," Isayev added.