Azerbaijan, Baku, April 21 / Trend E.Ismayilov /
The State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) resumed drilling on the first exploration well at the Umid perspective offshore structure in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, which was suspended for technical repairs, a SOCAR source said.
"Drilling at the well has resumed and is continuing as normal," the source said.
He said at present the well's depth is 3,525 meters.
Earlier drilling on the platform was suspended at a depth of 3,300 meters due to technical repairs and tank installation. A casing string on the well was lowered to a depth of 2,100 meters.
Drilling will be completed by late 2010-early 2011.
Possible reserves at Umid are estimated by SOCAR at 200 billion cubic meters of gas and 30 million tons of condensate.
The drilling is implemented by SOCAR from Umid-1. The platform was built on the basis of the unfinished Chirag-6. It is the largest platform within the program. Its height is 72 meters. The platform is located 15 kilometers from the offshore field Bulla-Deniz at a depth of 58 meters.