Within the last year, we have observed some changes in the price of petrol. What strategy was developed by AzPetrol to cope with this instability?
A change in the price of petrol should not affect the consumer market considerably, thanks to the creation of necessary conditions and the development of entrepreneurship in the private sector. Any step undertaken by the Azerbaijani government, including the determination of energy carriers, is based on careful analysis of the real market and the economic field. We hope that the possible change in the price of petrol will not affect the investment plans of AzPetrol too heavily. The influence of a decrease of fuel processing was not felt in the consumer market and has not caused troubles for the companies engaging in the wholesale and retail sale of fuel. A result of this economic policy is that our company has been enabled to conform to European standards and to supply our consumers with a high quality of petroleum fuel without the help of any intermediaries.
The energy market in Azerbaijan is highly competitive. What strategy is developed by AzPetrol to have a leading role in the market?
The aim of AzPetrol is to preserve its position in the private sector of Azerbaijan, to develop, and to contribute to the progress of the national economy. To this end, we have to widen the activity scope of the company, encompass our regions completely, create new job openings, secure the multi-branch strategy of the service fields, study innovative technologies and their application, train personnel with potential, as well as carry out other important matters. It is not easy to obtain the position that AzPetrol has and to preserve it for the long term in the Azerbaijani economic environment. Our main target is to produce a high-quality product and to secure consumer satisfaction. Our successes are stipulated and possible thanks to the fact that we have established a managerial system that rests upon the modern leading technologies of the world, high-quality services, and professional personnel. We are not the only competitor in this field, but we strive to be the best.
Azerbaijan is looking towards the national target of 2020. What role will the energy market, and in particular Azpetrol, play in reaching this vision?
Despite the steps undertaken to create and use alternative energy resources, it is no secret that oil and oil products will continue to be major energy sources over the long term. From this standpoint, all countries require reliable and sustainable energy sources. At the same time, merely possessing an energy resource is not sufficient, if one lacks the specific mechanisms and instruments to exploit that resource, enabling the energy resources to be marketable as a consumer product and making it accessible for the client is of great importance. The position of AzPetrol with the largest network of petrol stations in the republic has to be taken into account as one of the important economic subjects of the country.
Energy consumption in Europe now far exceeds energy production. How important is Azerbaijan in supporting international energy demand?
Azerbaijan is a leading state in the region and its international weight is considerable. The large-scale projects implemented in the Caucasus region would not be achievable without the participation of Azerbaijan. The important and convenient geopolitical position of Azerbaijan, with its rich oil beds, availability of leading enterprises for processing the oil products and infrastructures, are crucial for the country as an energy supplier. Thus, Azerbaijan will remain a stable pole for the world economy, given the global need for oil and oil products as core energy sources.
