Baku, Azerbaijan, April 23
By Emil Ismayilov - Trend:
The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan will start the fifth appraisal drilling of a well within the framework of the creation of underground gas storage facility in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic in the near future.
At the present time, Azerbaijan carries out swap gas supplies to Iran for provision of gas to Nakhchivan.
It was decided to set up an underground gas storage at the base of salt deposits in order to ensure the sustainability of gas supply to Nakhchivan. The underground gas storage facility with a storage capacity of 200-300 million cubic meters will be sufficient to meet NAR`s gas needs.
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic has been under siege because of the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia.
At present, SOCAR is completing drilling of the fourth appraisal well. It was decided to drill a well to a depth above projected parameters in order to obtain more detailed information, a source at SOCAR told Trend.
"The projected depth of the well is 580 meters, but it was decided to continue drilling works. At present, the depth of the well is 614 meters. Shortly after the completion of the works, the specialist will begin drilling a fifth appraisal well," the source said.
Previously the source said it is planned to drill five appraisal and exploration wells as part of creation of a new storage facility. The creation of the gas storage facility will require leaching the salt deposits.
Earlier SOCAR First Vice-President Khoshbakht Yusifzade said that according to initial data the depth of the salt at the site is 52 meters, while 40 meters thickness of bedding is appropriate for the creation of underground gas storage.
Currently two underground gas storage facilities - Kalmaz and Garadagh are operating in Azerbaijan, with the storage capacity of 3.5 billion cubic meters.
Translated by S.I.
Edited by C.N.