Azerbaijan, Baku, April 27 /Trend E.Ismayilov/
According to a preliminary schedule provided for the work, the export of gas in the second stage of the development of Shah Deniz gas condensate field may begin in early April 2017, a source in oil and gas market told Trend today.
The source noted that according to the schedule, the construction of two platforms, which are provided in the second phase of field development, should be completed before the end of 2015. The platform and the necessary infrastructure must be ready to operate in October 2016.
Accordingly, a contractor of construction works will be officially announced in December 2012 - January 2013, the source said.
"Determination of the contractor during this time frame will allow to fully mobilize in the first half of the year, and to start construction in July," the source said.
This week, BP announced the preliminary engineering and design work in the second stage of development of offshore gas condensate field Shah Deniz.
The Shah Deniz 2 project is set to produce 16 billion cubic metres of gas per year.
The entry into FEED represents the start of a key phase in the project during which engineering studies will be refined, further wells will be drilled, commercial agreements will be finalised and key construction contracts will commence, BP said.
During the FEED phase of the project, the Shah Deniz consortium will finalise its selection of export routes across Turkey and into Europe.
Gas reserves of Shah Deniz field are estimated at 1.2 trillion cubic meters.
The contract to develop the offshore Shah Deniz field was signed on June 4, 1996. Participants to the agreement are: BP (operator) - 25.5 per cent, Statoil - 25.5 per cent, NICO - 10 per cent, Total - 10 per cent, LukAgip - 10 per cent, TPAO - nine per cent and SOCAR-10 percent.
Currently the consortium is considering options to export gas to the southern and central Europe, which include Nabucco West and SEEP. The pipeline route to this direction will be selected by late June, 2012. The final decision on a pipeline route to export Azerbaijani gas to the European markets is expected in 2013.
Azerbaijan and Turkey are planning to create a pipeline from the eastern border of Turkey to the western border of the country. Currently BOTAS has a 20 percent stake in TANAP, and State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) - 80-percent share.