Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 11 / Trend E. Ismailov /
The Alliance Amec-Tekfen-Azfen (ATA) will complete the construction of topside structures and drilling facilities for the platform within the Chirag oil project, in order to increase oil production on the block Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli, by mid-2012, a source on the oil and gas market said.
He said that ATA will begin to assemble small elements of the topsides and a rig platform this March.
"The topsides and a rig installation are under construction. The work will be completed by mid-2012," the source said.
A source said that the process of building the topsides of the platform and drilling facilities will take 2.5 years. The construction process consists of two stages. The first stage is the production of the necessary elements, and the second stage involves their installation.
ATA has engaged in construction of the topsides of one of the technological platforms.
Chirag oil project envisages construction of a new platform called West Chirag. The platform will be installed at a depth of 170 meters between the already-running production platforms Chirag and Guneshli.
Chirag oil project envisages investments in the amount of $6 billion.
Outstripping drilling under the project, covered the second half of 2010 and will go on till the first half of 2012. Dede Gorgud rig will perform the drilling, with the production from the platform expected to begin from late 2013.
In total, 300 million barrels of oil are expected to be produced under the project until the end of the contract on ACG in 2024.
ACG participating interests are BP with 34.43 percent, Chevron with 11.27 percent, SOCAR with 10 percent, INPEX with 10.96 percent, StatOil with 8.6 percent, Exxon with 8 percent, TPAO with 6.8 percent, Itochu with 4.3 percent and Hess with 2.72 percent.