Azerbaijan, Baku, 12 January / corr Trend S.Aliyev / The capital expenses of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) made up AZN 703.4mln as compared to AZN 266.8mln in 2006, the company said.
In 2007 the Oil and Gas Construction Trust of the SOCAR spent AZN 436.7mln as compared to AZN 126.2mln in 2006. Last year the record length of gas pipelines attained 262km, including 127km underwater and 135km land gas pipelines. In 2007 111km-long pipelines were laid on the Guanshli field in 2007. It enabled to increase gas production from the field twice. In 2007 the SOCAR gave to the Government 5.2bln cu m of gas, as compared to 3.8bln cu m in 2006. In 2008 it is planned to give 7bln cu m of gas to the Government.
This year the construction work within the framework of a program on increase of gas production by the SOCAR will be increased. In the first half of the year it is planned to launch a new compression station for collection of low pressure gas on Gunashli 4 platform, installed in one of the field with the same name. The production will be increased by 2mln cu m a day through collection of gas low pressure.
In 2008 the compression station on the Oil Rocks field will be expanded through installing three additional aggregates. As a result of this work daily production of the station will be increased from 7.8mln cu m to 11.4mln cu m.
Under the project on increase of capacity of underground gas reservoirs in Azerbaijan and increase of them to 3bln cu m this year, it is planned to build five gas compression stations, separation rigs, gas distribution fields and restore 16 wells on the Garadagh underground gas reservoir,
In September the SOCAR intends to complete the construction of Umid 1 platform, which will be installed on the gas condensate field with the same name. In December it is planned to commence drilling of the first exploration well on this platform.