On November 2, 2012 BP announced appointment of Gordon Birrel as BP-Azerbaijan President. Who is Mr. Birrel? BP-Azerbaijan press release says that
Gordon Birrell is a highly experienced oil and gas industry professional with a 26-year track record of leading and operating in the Upstream.
He joined BP in 1986 into the BP Graduate Training Programme. He spent the early part of his career in a variety of operating, engineering and leadership roles both onshore and offshore in the North Sea - in Sullom Voe Terminal and in BP's Central Engineering Organization.
In 1999 he moved to London to BP's corporate headquarters, holding a number of staff roles. He then moved to Azerbaijan to lead Exploration and Appraisal projects including the early stages of the Shah Deniz Development.
From 2001 to 2005 Gordon led BP's production operations in Alaska and Canada as Performance Unit Leader and Business Unit Leader respectively. In 2005 he was appointed Business Unit Leader for BP's mature assets in the North Sea, responsible for a business producing around 250,000 barrels equivalent of oil and gas a day. During this period he was a Director of BP Exploration Operating Company Ltd and Britoil plc.
He then went on to hold a number of roles including Upstream Technology Vice President and Head of Upstream Executive Office.
Since late 2010 he has been the Head of Safety and Operational Risk for BP's Production Division leading a global team that is deployed into each region where BP operates in the upstream around the world. He was also a Director of the BP Subsea Well Response Company Ltd.
Gordon is currently a Vice Chairman of the International Oil and Gas Producers Association (OGP), the global trade association for upstream oil and gas producers. He has been a member of the OGP Management Committee for four years.
He is a chartered engineer and a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering and Technology.
Gordon has an MBA from Warwick University and an honours degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.
Gordon is married and has three sons.-0--
Economics
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Azerbaijan’s economy, which is heavily dependent on oil revenues, faces a stark warning in the 2021 report by Carbon Tracker titled “Beyond the Oil States: The Urgent Need to Reduce Dependence on Oil in the Context of the Energy Transition.” The report ranks Azerbaijan among the most vulnerable oil-dependent countries, placing it in the "5th group" — a category reserved for nations expected to experience a decline in oil and gas revenues exceeding 40% over the next decade. This group includes Angola, Bahrain, Timor-Leste, Equatorial Guinea, Oman, and South Sudan, highlighting shared economic risks for these states.
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Azerbaijan's non-oil and gas exports rose 3.5% year-on-year to $2.8 billion during the first ten months of 2024, the Center for Analysis of Economic Reforms and Communication (CAERC) reported in its November "Export Review."
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Azerbaijan Railways CJSC (ADY) will modify the schedules for commuter and domestic trains in line with the Cabinet of Ministers' decision to adjust work and rest days in November, aiming to ensure safe and comfortable travel during the COP29 event, the company announced.
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In Azerbaijan, the government has increasingly relied on tax exemptions for imported goods as a tool to stabilize domestic market prices. The exemption from the 18% VAT on wheat imports, extended this year, exemplifies this approach. New measures have also been introduced, including tax relief on imports of electric vehicle chargers, while exemptions for high-cost medications are currently under discussion. Notably, defense imports continue to be free from taxes and customs duties.
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