Gazprom to double Azeri gas purchases in 2011

MOSCOW Jan 21 (Reuters) - Russian energy giant Gazprom (GAZP.MM) plans to double gas purchases from Azeri state company SOCAR in 2011 to 2 billion cubic metres (bcm) from the 1 bcm planned this year, Gazprom said on Thursday.

Initially, Gazprom struck a deal to buy 500 million cubic metres from Azerbaijan this year, but it later agreed with SOCAR to increase the volumes to 1 bcm.

Europe is also counting on gas from Azerbaijan to fill its proposed Nabucco pipeline, a rival to the Moscow-backed South Stream link. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin, editing by Robin Paxton)