The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), Kazakhstan’s KazMunayGas, Russia’s Tatneft, and Uzbekistan’s Uzbekneftegaz have signed memorandums of cooperation in the fields of digital technologies, industrial safety, and emergency response. The signing took place within the framework of the international conference “Digitalization, Industrial Safety, and Procurement in the Energy Sector,” held in Baku. This step aims to strengthen collaboration between the oil and gas companies of the four countries and open new prospects for the joint development of the industry.
According to the signed agreements, the companies will exchange experience in the development and implementation of digital solutions, work on preventing and mitigating technological accidents, develop intelligent monitoring systems, conduct joint procurement of equipment and software, and establish specialized teams for rapid emergency response. Particular attention is given to the integration of advanced predictive analytics and artificial intelligence technologies, which will not only enhance the efficiency of production processes but also minimize environmental risks associated with hydrocarbon extraction.
During the conference, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, met with the Chairman of the Board of KazMunayGas, Askhat Khasenov, the General Director of Tatneft, Nail Maganov, and the Chairman of the Board of Uzbekneftegaz, Bakhodirjon Sidikov. The Azerbaijani leader noted that a new stage of multilateral cooperation between the region’s oil and gas companies has begun, and existing bilateral projects already provide a strong foundation for deepening partnerships. He emphasized that beyond digital technology development and industrial safety, this format of cooperation is also crucial for joint production, order fulfillment, and coordination of enterprise activities. According to him, the consolidated efforts of the companies will not only enhance the efficiency of the oil and gas sector but also contribute to its sustainable development.
During the negotiations, special attention was given to the digitalization of the oil and gas industry. Askhat Khasenov presented key technological developments by KazMunayGas, including the innovative ABAI project, which consists of 17 modules aimed at increasing operational efficiency and solving critical production challenges. This system has already been implemented in the company’s key assets, with further expansion underway. Another important innovation is the automated intelligent system TUMAR, designed to ensure safety during hazardous technological operations, such as underground and capital well repairs.
The companies agreed to jointly develop effective safety systems and provide personnel training for faster emergency response. Plans include forming specialized teams to coordinate enterprise actions in case of accidents, develop strategies for preventing incidents, and promptly mitigate the consequences of technological disasters. Another significant area of cooperation will be the optimization of procurement processes and the consolidation of efforts in acquiring equipment and software, which will help reduce costs and improve the efficiency of oil and gas production.
During the meeting, it was emphasized that the new partnership format is open to other foreign companies, creating additional opportunities to strengthen economic ties and attract new investors to the oil and gas sector. The President of Azerbaijan expressed confidence that cooperation between SOCAR, KazMunayGas, Tatneft, and Uzbekneftegaz will serve as a successful example of interaction among national oil and gas corporations and will contribute to the further development of the industry, the introduction of advanced digital technologies, and the enhancement of industrial safety standards.
