Azerbaijan, Baku, 30 January / Trend / A total of assumed mineable reserves in the offshore Umid and Babek fields total some 200bln cu m of gas, and the productive layer (7th layer according to Garadag stratigraphy layout) is located approximately 6,300 deep, independent experts said. The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) intends to launch drilling in the field in December.
According to experts, the key problem in the field is the ultra-high pore and strata pressure (over 1,000 atmospheres), which can create considerable difficulties in drilling. In the Soviet time, 11 wells were drilled in the field, and only 2 of them achieved the planned productive layer, but testing of the productive layer had resulted in an accident.
Western techniques and technology, blowout preventers, etc., are necessary in order to enable safe drilling and the efficient opening-out of the productive layer in Umid, the experts said.
According to SOCAR, the mineable reserves in the prospective offshore Umid field make up 50 bln cu m of gas. Six wells are planned to be drilled from Umid-1 for further gas production. SOCAR has already commenced the construction of a new duo-block deep-sea platform Umid-1. The construction is held at the Baku Deep Water Jacket Plant named after Heydar Aliyev.
According to the SOCAR President, Rovnag Abdullayev, construction of the new platform will be completed in September. Drilling of the first exploratory well from the platform will be launched in December.