Azerbaijan, Baku, May 31 /Trend E.Ismayilov/
Work on the sidetrack drilling of the first exploration well on the Absheron field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea will be completed in autumn, SOCAR VP Khoshbakht Yusifzade told media today.
"If the drilling operations complete earlier, the process of developing the well may be completed by September 1," Yusifzade said.
"If it is impossible, the well will be closed down."
He said that limiting a drilling term is connected with the fact that the Heydar Aliyev drilling rig will be involved in the operations for BP. A well on the "Absheron" structure is being drilled from this rig.
In September 2011, Azerbaijan announced the discovery of large gas reserves on the Absheron field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.
Potential reserves are estimated at 350 billion cubic meters of gas and 45 million tons of condensate.
The contract on the Absheron Field was signed on Feb. 27, 2009, between SOCAR and Total. Later Total sold 20 percent of its equity participation to Gaz De France Suez.