Azerbaijan, Baku, July 17 /Trend E.Ismayilov/
Construction of upper structures and production of new platform's drilling equipment within the framework of "Chirag oil project" (an increase of oil production at Azerbaijan's Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli oil field block) has been completed, a source in oil-gas market said on Monday.
According to the interlocutor of the agency, the process of construction of objects for their launching and sending to the contract area will start after July 20.
"A barge has arrived for the transportation of upper structures. After the completion of constructions' preparation for their launching in accordance with the plan, they will be sent to sea in the second decade of August," the source said.
According to the source, the process of construction of upper structures in the sea will depend on weather conditions.
Construction of the upper parts and production of the drilling equipment for the platform are carried out by the consortium of companies Amec-Tekfen-Azfen (ATA), which has already carried out such works on one of the technological platforms within the framework of the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli project.
The sending of the supporting block to the sea has been carried out on April 20, 2013.
Chirag oil project implies the construction of Western Chirag platform, which will be constructed in 170 meters of sea depth between already operating Chirag and Guneshli production platforms.
Chirag oil project provides $6 billion worth investment. The start of production from the platform is planned for late 2013.
In total it is planned to produce 300 million barrels of oil within the project. (till the end of the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli contract in 2024).
Contract on development of Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli sea field was concluded in 1994. The share participation in the contract is distributed as follows: BP (operator in Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli) - 35.78 percent, Chevron - 11.27 percent, AzACG- 11.65 percent, Statoil - 8.56 percent, Exxon- 8 percent, TPAO- 6.75 percent, Itochu-4.3 per cent and ONGC -2.72 per cent.