Azerbaijan, Baku, July 11 /Trend, S.Aliyev/
BP, operator of Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli offshore fields block development project, today completely stopped production on the Chirag platform to conduct geological and technical measures in the wells, a source in oil and gas market said. Prior to the suspension, its production volume was approximately 90,000 barrels per day.
The source said the maintenance work will be carried out within two weeks. They envisage to conduct research on the wells and replace equipment on the platform.
After completion of the work on the Chirag platform, similar works will be carried out on the platforms installed on the Azeri field (four platforms). These measures will also take two weeks.
As a result of these long-term stops, as well as repair work on wells, it is assumed that the total volume of oil production in Azerbaijan will reduce by about four million tons from projected more than 52 million tons.
The contract to develop the fields was signed in 1994.
Currently the participation share of the operator BP in Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli is 35.83 percent, Chevron - 11.27 percent, Inpex - 10.96 percent, AzACG - 11.6 percent, Statoil - 8.56 percent, Exxon - 8 percent, TPAO - 6.75 percent, Itocu - 4.3 percent and Hess - 2.72 percent.
In 2010, Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli produced 40.6 million tons of oil compared to over 40.3 million tons in 2009. Production of oil from this block in 2010 averaged 823,100 barrels per day.