BAKU, Azerbaijan, Aug.19
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Currently, the prospective oil and gas structures in focus in Azerbaijan are Shafag-Asiman, Block D230, Shallow Water Absheron Peninsula (SWAP) and Nakhchivan, Caspian-Guba and Goshadash prospective structures.
Shafag-Asiman
The Shafag-Asiman PSA between BP and SOCAR for joint exploration and development of the Shafag-Asiman offshore block in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea was signed in Baku in October 2010.
The block lies some 125 kilometres to the South-East of Baku. It covers an area of some 1,100 square kilometres. It is located in water depths of 650-800 metres.
The block is 60km from Shah Deniz and 145km from the Sangachal terminal
A 3D seismic acquisition programme was conducted on the contract area in 2012.
Interpretation of the seismic dataset was completed in 2015 followed by the selection of the first well location and planning for drilling activities.
SOCAR and BP announced that the first exploration well was spudded on the Shafag-Asiman offshore block in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea on 13 January, 2020.
The SAX01 well is the first to be drilled in the contract area. The well is planned to reach total depth of up to 7,000 metres, which is expected to take around nine months. Following this, well data will be analysed and, if successful, an evaluation programme may be conducted to confirm the results. The well is being drilled from the Heydar Aliyev semi-submersible rig operated by the Caspian Drilling Company (CDC).
Drilling activities are currently ongoing at the depth of 2,500 metres.
It is planned to complete the drilling of the first well at Shafag-Asiman block by late 2020.
Block D230
BP and SOCAR signed a new production sharing agreement (PSA) on 26 April 2018 for the joint exploration and development of Block D230 in the North Absheron basin in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea.
Block D230 lies some 135 kilometres (84 miles) north-east of Baku in the Caspian Sea. It covers an area of some 3,200 square kilometres and has not previously been explored. It has water depths of 400-600 metres and anticipated reservoir depths of about 3,500 metres.
The 3D seismic acquisition programme on Block D230, which commenced in December 2019, was safely completed on 14 March 2020.
BP intends to accelerate the processing and interpretation of the acquired data using its supercomputer in Houston.
BP expects to complete full processing of D230 data in Q3 2020.
“The processing of the first stage of the acquired data was completed in June 2020. The full processing is expected to complete in the third quarter of 2020 and will be followed by interpretation. If the results from the interpretation of the seismic survey are positive, we will begin planning for the first exploration well,” reads the BP report.
Shallow Water Absheron Peninsula
BP signed a production sharing agreement (PSA) with SOCAR in December 2014 to jointly explore for and develop potential prospects in the shallow water area around the Absheron peninsula in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian sea.
The PSA contract area stretches along the margins of the Caspian basin to the south of the Absheron peninsula. The acreage features water depths of up to 40 metres with potential reservoir depths of 3000-5000 metres.
In the Shallow Water Absheron Peninsula, planning for the exploration wells drilling in three selected prospective areas is ongoing. BP will commence drilling activities early next year once the upgrade of the rig selected to drill the first well is completed.
Nakhchivan, Caspian-Guba and Goshadash
On Jan. 22, SOCAR and LUKOIL signed a memorandum of understanding on the Nakhchivan prospective structure in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, as well as on the exploration block covering the Caspian-Guba and Goshadash prospective structures in the shallow waters of the sea.
Nakhchivan prospective structure is located in the deepwater part of the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, 90 kilometers south of the Absheron Peninsula. In the area of the structure, the depth of the sea varies within 120-750 meters. The structure was discovered in 1960 as a result of seismic survey.
Goshadash prospective structure is located in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, 20 kilometers northeast of Sumgayit city. In 1957-1977, seismic surveys were carried out in the area.
Detailed assessment is underway on Nakhchivan, Caspian-Guba and Goshadash prospective structures in Azerbaijan, Russia’s LUKOIL company told Trend.
“The ongoing work within these exploration projects covers detailed assessment and study of the prospects of structures. This work is carried out in accordance with the schedule,” said the company.
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