Drilling operations under way in Shahdeniz field

Baku, May 23 (AZERTAC). Shah Deniz full field development (FFD) is a giant project that is designed to bring gas from Azerbaijan to Europe and Turkey increasing gas supply and energy diversity to European markets through a new Southern Corridor. It is expected to add a further 16 billion cubic meters per year (bcma) of gas production to the approximately 9 bcma from Shah Deniz Stage 1. It is one of the largest gas development projects anywhere in the world and the new Southern Corridor will substantially increase the security and diversity of European gas imports.

The current plans are that the project will include two new bridge-linked production platforms; 26 subsea wells to be drilled with 2 semi-submersible rigs; 500 km of subsea pipelines built at up to 550m of water depth; 16 bcma upgrade for the South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP); expansion of the Sangachal Terminal with compressors for FFD gas and SCP.

According to the BP-Azerbaijan, the company continues drilling activities on the SDA06 well. The well is planned to be completed and handed over to production during the second quarter of 2011. It is also planning another gas producer well – SDA03z for the first quarter of 2012.

Appraisal activities to support plans for the Shah Deniz full field development continue. As part of these activities the SDX06 appraisal well was successfully drilled and completed with the Istiglal rig in March 2011. Upon completion of the well the rig moved on to perform further appraisal drilling on the field. The company spudded SDX07 in March 2011 with a planned total depth of 6170m. SDX07 is located in the western part of the field. SDX07 is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2012.