World Oil Congress may be held in Baku in 2023

Baku’s candidacy to host the 24th World Petroleum Congress in 2023 was put forward, Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov said at the meeting of the National Oil Committee.

The minister said the Committee gave relevant instructions.

He said: "Heydar Aliyev’s oil strategy played a special role in Azerbaijan’s adoption as the member of World Petroleum Council. The council’s main goal is global use of hydrocarbon resources for welfare of people and this is the basic target of Azerbaijan’s energy course."

Deputy Minister of Energy Elnur Soltanov noted that candidate for the 24th World Petroleum Congress will be determined by secret ballot in Saint Petersburg in June 2019. Along with Azerbaijan, the candidates include Canada, UAE, Argentina and Kazakhstan.

The National Oil Committee was established in 2005 and selected as the member of World Petroleum Council that year. The World Petroleum Congress is held once in three years by the World Petroleum Council, established in 1933. The Congress is a platform where significant oil and gas issues are discussed, and decisions are made. The Council covers 96% of oil and gas producers and consumers.