Baku, Azerbaijan, May 18
By Maksim Tsurkov – Trend:
During the first quarter of 2018, hook-up and commissioning activities continued on the Shah Deniz Bravo platform with strong progress on both topsides, BP's report on the results of activities in Azerbaijan in 1Q2018 says.
Overall progress is slightly ahead of schedule at over 90%. The facility is under operations control and start up procedures are progressing well with final checks under way ahead of introduction of hydrocarbons from the terminal.
BP Azerbaijan is the operator of the Shah Deniz field.
After achieving significant construction and commissioning milestones across the whole gas value chain in 2017, the Shah Deniz 2 and South Caucasus Pipeline Expansion (SCPX) projects have now entered the start-up phase in the run up to achieving first gas in 2018.
Shah Deniz 2 first gas scope is now 99 percent complete, in terms of engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning.
During the first quarter of 2018, hook-up and commissioning activities continued on the Shah Deniz Bravo platform with strong progress on both topsides.
The Shah Deniz 2 onshore facilities are now integrated with the operating Sangachal terminal, following the removal of the fence that previously segregated them. Hydrocarbons have been introduced into the plant, a significant milestone that is essential for both first commercial deliveries and the subsequent start of production from the Shah Deniz Bravo facilities later this year.
"On the Northern flank of the Shah Deniz field, the Khankendi vessel has completed laying subsea cables for technological supply. The subsea lines leading to the Sangachal terminal, wells, underwater infrastructure, the Shah Deniz platform and the terminal are already connected to each other," the report said.
Within the implementation of Shah Deniz Stage 2, gas production will increase from 9 to 25 billion cubic meters per year. The produced gas will be exported to Turkey and the European markets through the expansion of the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of the Trans-Anatolian (TANAP) and Trans-Adriatic (TAP) gas pipelines.
A contract for development of the Shah Deniz offshore field was signed on June 4, 1996. The field's reserves are estimated at 1.2 trillion cubic meters of gas.
The shareholders in the contract are BP (operator - 28.8 percent), AzSD (10 percent), SGC Upstream (6.7 percent), Petronas (15.5 percent), Lukoil (10 percent), NIOC (10 percent) and TPAO (19 percent).
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @MTsurkovTrend