Azerbaijan, Baku, July 23 /Trend E.Ismayilov/
Drilling from a floating drilling rig Istiglal at gas condensate field Shah Deniz with the use of BOP will be possible in November-December, a source of oil and gas market told Trend on Monday.
The source noted that the block of preventers passed certification process in the UK that will be finished in November - December.
"Prior to the completion of the process, the rig will be used to drill wells to a depth of 1200-1300 m," the source said. The drilling of shallow wells is conducted in the framework of pre-drilling in the field.
Two offshore platforms will be installed and more than 20 subsea wells will be drilled for the production of an additional 16 billion cubic meters of gas a year under the Shah Deniz-2. Peak production from the field in the first stage of development is projected at nine billion cubic meters. It is predicted that gas production can be brought up to 24 billion cubic meters a year in the second stage of field development.
Gas reserves of Shah Deniz field are estimated at 1.2 trillion cubic meters.
The contractor 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 per cent.