Caspian Sea level drop and engineering workforce shortages weigh on Azerbaijan’s energy sector

Caspian Sea level drop and engineering workforce shortages weigh on Azerbaijan’s energy sector

Falling water levels in the Caspian Sea, the outflow of engineering professionals abroad and shifts in regional labour markets remain major challenges for Azerbaijan’s energy sector, SOCAR Vice President Babek Huseynov said.

Speaking at a panel discussion, he noted that countries operating in the Caspian region are also facing similar difficulties.

“The decline in the Caspian Sea level is a serious challenge for both us and our partners. It is essential to work together to find common solutions,” he said.

According to Huseynov, one of the most pressing issues is the ageing of highly qualified engineers in the oil and gas industry, as well as the tendency of younger specialists to pursue careers outside Azerbaijan.

“Azerbaijan has produced hundreds of engineers, many of whom are authors of key technical publications, but this generation is now retiring. Young professionals prefer to seek opportunities abroad. This is a major challenge for us,” he said.

He added that SOCAR has already started hiring specialists from Kazakhstan.

“Kazakh engineers adapt quickly and demonstrate strong performance and professionalism,” he said.

The discussion also highlighted the significant potential of Azerbaijan’s energy and logistics infrastructure.

According to officials, President Ilham Aliyev has repeatedly underlined the country’s role as a “transit and logistics hub”.

“Azerbaijan invites Caspian countries — Kazakhstan and other neighbours — to use its infrastructure for access to European markets. There is still much work to be done in this direction,” the SOCAR representative said.

He added that the SOCAR management and the government fully support expanding these efforts.

“This opens major opportunities, and we must take greater advantage of this potential,” he said.

N.Tabrizli