As part of the 4th Türkiye-Azerbaijan Energy Forum, Azerbaijani Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov and his Turkish counterpart Alparslan Bayraktar toured key facilities operated by SOCAR Türkiye in the Aegean city of Izmir.

The ministers visited the STAR Refinery and the Petkim petrochemical complex in Aliaga, both of which hold major economic significance for the two nations. According to Azerbaijan’s Energy Ministry, the Aliaga cluster stands as one of the cornerstones of bilateral cooperation and represents a large share of Azerbaijan’s more than $18 billion investment in Türkiye’s energy sector.

During the inspection, officials underlined Petkim’s six-decade-long role in petrochemical production and highlighted the strategic value of the STAR Refinery, which has the capacity to process 13 million tonnes of crude annually. SOCAR executives also outlined fresh investment plans for Türkiye.

The visit drew participation from senior government representatives of both countries. Notably, the Aliaga site has been recognized as SOCAR Türkiye’s first “Special Industrial Zone,” further reinforcing its importance in regional energy collaboration.