Azerbaijan's national oil company has confirmed that it is well on the way to improving the working conditions of thousands of its workers, with work starting on another new apartment block in the capital city, Baku.

At a ceremony awarding new living accommodation to workers, Rovnag Abdullayev, president of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) revealed that it is looking to expand its recently-constructed Oil Workers Settlement as part of the company's social responsibility programme for 2005 to 2015.

Notably, improved accommodation will be provided for the thousands of Azerbaijani professionals employed at the Heydar Aliyev Baku refinery.

Mr Abdullayev told the ceremony: "Six buildings have been already commissioned and construction of the seventh one is under way.

"The obvious example is [the] newly-erected Oil Workers Settlement in Baku city Nizami district."

Earlier this month SOCAR revealed that it is looking to international lenders for an extra £15 billion in funding so as to invest in a number of new oil and gas refineries within Azerbaijan.