Timeframe for start of gas production from Absheron field revealed

Gas production from the Absheron gas condensate field located in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea is scheduled for July 2022, Report informs referring to the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) for 2020.

The work is underway at the field to lay a subsea pipeline, build a processing and receiving platform, and install equipment.

In accordance with the project implementation plan, geotechnical work, supply work and laying of pipelines were completed in 2020. Construction of support blocks has been completed, and the installation work is in progress at the moment, the report noted.

Technical work to be carried out to connect the gas pipelines to the infrastructure of the Oil Rocks began in early 2021. The first gas production from the field is planned for July 2022.

On November 21, 2016, SOCAR and the French company Total signed a basic agreement and a deal on the definition of commercial conditions for the first stage of development of the Absheron gas condensate field. The project participants are SOCAR (50 percent) and Total (50 percent - operator). The contract was signed for 30 years. The contract area is 747 sq. km.

In 2019, SOCAR and Total completed drilling of an ABD-001 production and appraisal well at a depth of 7,411 meters in the Absheron field. Drilling began in May 2018 and was carried out using a semi-submersible drilling rig named after Heydar Aliyev.

As part of the project, 5 billion cubic meters of gas per year can be produced. Within the first stage, the entire volume of produced gas will be directed to the domestic market. The field will also produce about 10,000 barrels of condensate daily.