Diversification of Turkmenistan’s Gas Exports through the Trans-Caspian Route: Reality or Prospect?

On June 1, Azerbaijan’s capital will host one of the region’s largest energy gatherings, Baku Energy Week 2026, whose centerpiece will be the 31st Baku Energy Forum. The forum is expected to outline a series of decisions that could represent one of the most significant turning points for Azerbaijan’s oil and gas sector in recent years. The discussion extends beyond several individual projects and points toward a broader transformation of the country’s energy model. This transformation involves a gradual shift away from dependence on mature oil production toward a new framework in which natural gas plays a larger role, the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) strengthens its position, and the balance between national control and international participation evolves.

Military operations against Iran have disrupted trade flows across Eurasia, weakening the International North–South Transport Corridor and accelerating cargo diversion to the Trans-Caspian Middle Corridor, officials and industry sources said.

The wars in Iran and Ukraine have sharply increased the strategic importance of the so-called Middle Corridor linking Asia and Europe, as traditional trade routes face disruptions and energy prices surge, officials and analysts say.

On August 22, senior officials from Azerbaijan and Russia met in Astrakhan for the 23rd session of their intergovernmental commission on economic cooperation, in what observers described as a cautious step toward normalisation of relations after months of tension.