Azerbaijan, Baku, 30 August / Trend corr. E.Ismayilov / The Neftgasstroy trust owned by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has commenced to construct three-unit for the Umid-1 offshore platform, SOCAR reported.
Operation of Umid-1 offshore platform is necessary for SOCAR within the program to enlarge gas production from fields, developed at company's own expenses. Six gas wells are expected to be drilled on the platform. The exploration drilling works on the prospective pattern is scheduled for the second half of 2008.
Umid-1 platform, which is constructed on the base of unfinished Chirag-6 platform, is the largest one within the gas program. Its height is 72m. The platform will be located on 15km far from the Bulla-daniz offshore field in 58m bottom.
The Geophysics and Geology Department has finished geotechnical works, which were necessary to construct platforms on the perspective Umid offshore platform. For this purpose five engineering and geological wells with total deep of 720.4m were drilled, as well as 36km uninterrupted profile seismic prospecting was laid and 100km bathymetry
The bottom of the platform is explored to check its safety and capability to endure loading of Umid-1 platform.
Approximately, the extractive gas reserves from Umid offshore platform is estimated on 200-300bln cu metres.