Socar Evacuates Offshore Caspian Staff

Azerbaijan’s national oil company Socar has evacuated more than 700 workers from offshore facilities because of strong winds, the company confirmed to NGW on August 5.  The staff had been stationed at oilfields operated by Socar's main production unit Azneft, it said, and represent 30% of Socar's total offshore workforce.

Azerbaijan’s natural resources ministry said earlier that strong winds were anticipated in Baku and across the Absheron peninsula between August 5 and 8, with gales reaching projected speeds of 30-35 metres per second.

In December 2015, powerful winds damaged a gas pipeline at Azneft's offshore Guneshli field, causing a fire to break out and a platform to partially collapse. The catastrophe caused the deaths of 32 workers.