Azerbaijan, Baku, July 16 / Trend, E. Ismayilov/
Construction will be launched within the second phase of developing the Azerbaijani offshore gas condensate field Shah Deniz in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea in July 2014, a source in the oil and gas market told Trend today.
According to the source, the tender procedure for choosing contractors for construction within the Shah Deniz-2 project will be completed in January 2014. After choosing contractors, relevant agreements will be signed with them.
"Preliminary data related to choosing contractors will be known by autumn and official announcement on results will be held in January. Contractors will conduct preparation work during half-year, in order to start direct construction in July," the resource said.
Plans on the project include the construction of two new sea platforms joined through the bridge, the drilling of 26 underwater wells with two semi-submersible drilling rigs, the construction of a 500 kilometer long underwater pipeline at 550 meters of depth, the enlargement of the Sangachal terminal for the creation of supplementary opportunities for exports in Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Shah Deniz reserves are estimated at 1.2 trillion cubic meters of gas.
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, Lukoil - 10 per cent, TPAO - nine per cent and SOCAR - 10 per cent.
Gas which will be extracted within the second phase of field processing will be exported to Turkey (6 billion cubic meters) and Europe (10 billion cubic meters).