Caspian Absheron Production Well Drilling Starts
Azerbaijan’s state-run Socar and French Total began the first production well ABD-001 in the Absheron field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea at the end of last week, Socar told NGW May 21.
The field will have the capacity to produce 4.3mn m3/d gas and 2,000 barrels/d condensate. First commercial gas production from the field is planned for early 2020.
The Heydar Aliyev, the new semi-submersible drilling rig (SSDR) named after the country's late president, took 73 days to complete the ABX-2 exploration well at the Absheron field. "Now the SSDR is involved in drilling the appraisal and production well ABD-001 in the same field for the production of the first gas," the company said.
All the gas produced in the first stage will be sold to the domestic market. The second phase plan could allow exports: it depends on the results of drilling but the overall hope is for 5bn m³/yr or more, the head of investments at Socar, Vagif Aliyev, told NGW April 30.
The agreement on exploration, development and distribution of production from the Absheron offshore block, was signed on February 27, 2009. At present, Socar and Total each own half. The operator of the Absheron project is Jocap, a company owned by Socar and Total. The contract area is 747 km² and the licence is valid for 30 years.
The estimated in-situ reserves of Absheron are estimated at 350bn m3 gas and 45mn mt of condensate.