Azerbaijan, Baku, May 22 / Trend E. Ismailov /
The superstructure and drilling equipment of a new platform in the Caspian Sea are planned to be launched in August-September this year under 'Chirag oil project' aimed at increasing oil production at 'Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli' fields block (ACG), a source on the oil and gas market told Trend.
The construction of the superstructure and drilling equipment for the platform is being conducted by the Amec-Tekfen-Azfen consortium (ATA), which has already performed similar work at one of the technology platforms under the ACG project.
According to the source, the building and assembly works for the construction of the new platform's superstructure have almost been completed and it is currently being finalised and tested.
"The equipment needed for lifting and launching the superstructure is also currently being installed," he said.
According to him, depending on weather conditions, the superstructure will be delivered to the Caspian Sea in late August-early September this year and its installation will be completed in the autumn.
The platform's bearing pulley was delivered on April 20 this year.
The Chirag oil project provides for the construction of the West Chirag platform which will be installed at a depth of 170 metres between the production platforms already functioning there, namely Chirag and Guneshli.
The project provides for an investment of six billion dollars. First production from the platform is scheduled for late 2013.
It is planned to produce 300 million barrels of oil by the end of ACG's contract in 2024.
The contract on the development of ACG fields block was signed in 1994. Participants of ACG development project are: BP (operator - 35.78 per cent), Chevron (11.27 per cent), Inpex (10.96 per cent), AzACG (11.65 per cent), Statoil (8.56 per cent), Exxon (8 per cent), TPAO (6.75 per cent), Itocu (4.3 per cent) and ONGC (2.72 per cent).
