BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 3. The Azeri Central East (ACE) project almost reached the 80 percent progress milestone by the end of the third quarter of 2022, Trend reports citing bp.
“All engineering, procurement and onshore fabrication works remain on track to be complete in 2023,” the company said.
According to the report, the construction of the shore platform and autonomous start-up works for the ACE operations were completed at the Sangachal terminal, while integration works with ACE topsides began.
“During the third quarter, the ACE platform topsides and drilling facilities fabrication activities continued at the fabrication yard in Bibi-Heybat. The integration of the drilling facilities into the topsides progressed with both the modular drilling support module (MDSM) and the drilling equipment set (DES) fully handed over to commissioning and the drilling rig skidding commissioning commenced,” bp said.
As the report noted, this followed the safe implementation of the 2,350 tons MDSM and the 2,400 tons DES jack up to the final height of around 27 meters and then the successful skid onto the topsides deck. This was a carefully planned complex “Jack and Skid” operation and a first for bp globally.
Meanwhile, the jacket is almost ready for loadout planned for early 2023 at the Heydar Aliyev Baku Deepwater Jacket factory (BDJF).
“The STB-01 transportation barge underwent required modifications and renewed her class certification. The barge then arrived at BDJF where reactivation and sponsons installation activities commenced,” the report said.
Also, following the ACE tie-in campaign, the gas export infield pipeline between the Central Azeri and East Azeri platforms was successfully restarted.
“The subsea construction vessel Khankendi installed the oil plug retrieval and isolation structure (PRIS/Wye structure), and the diving support vessel subsequently completed all metrology for the oil system spools,” the report added.
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