BAKU, Azerbaijan, Sept.1
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Drilling of the NKX01 exploration well, planned to commence in Q1 2021 as part of the Shallow Water Absheron Peninsula (SWAP) project in Azerbaijan, is expected to be completed over a duration of approximately three months, Trend reports citing BP.
“An additional one month is scheduled for the drilling of an appraisal sidetrack well, which will be drilled if certain objectives are met following the successful completion of the drilling of the NKX01 well. The base case assumes that drilling activities will commence in January 2021 however, for contingency, should there be any delay for logistical or operational reasons, and based on prior experience and best estimates, a delay of up to 2 months may occur. In the event that problems are encountered while drilling the surface hole the well may be re-drilled within 50m of the original seabed location,” reads the draft ESIA on SWAP.
The base case NKX01 exploration well drilling schedule is as follows: mobilization of jack up rig – in December 2020, NKX-1 drilling – January, February and March 2021, drilling of sidetrack (optional) – in April 2021.
It is planned that the Project exploration well will be drilled using a jack-up rig. If required, an appraisal sidetrack will be drilled and tests completed to expand the reservoir information obtained from the primary wellbore. There will be no well testing activities conducted at the well location. It is not anticipated the jack-up rig will require major modifications prior to start of the drilling activities.
BP signed a new 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. This PSA was ratified by the Milli Majlis (Parliament of Azerbaijan) on 14 April 2015. This enables BP to move forward with its commitments under this PSA using its experience and advanced technology solutions from other shallow water areas around the world.
Under the PSA BP is the operator with 50 percent interest while SOCAR holds the remaining 50 percent equity.
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. This will enable BP to bring its experience and advanced technology solutions from other shallow water areas around the world to this area.
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