Baku, Azerbaijan, March 28
By Emil Ismayilov - Trend:
Azerbaijan's State Oil Company (SOCAR) will soon complete the drilling of the fourth appraisal well for creation of underground gas storage in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic (NAR).
Previously SOCAR completed the drilling of three appraisal wells, after which those wells were mothballed for a further study and analysis, a source in SOCAR told Trend on March 28.
Exploratory wells are drilled on the Tumbul site at the Nehram salt deposit base.
"The fourth well is currently being drilled and its depth now is 498 meters out of the designed 580 meters. Upon completion of work on this well the drilling of the next one will commence," the source added.
Previously the source said that it is planned to drill five appraisal and exploration wells as part of creation of a new storage facility. The creation of the gas storage facility will require leaching the salt deposits.
Currently, Azerbaijan is carrying out swap deliveries of gas to Iran in order to provide Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic with gas. It was decided to create underground gas storage at the salt deposit base to secure the sustainability of gas supplies to Nakhchivan. The underground gas storage with 200-300 million cubic meters of capacity will be enough to meet Nakhchivan's needs.
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic has been under siege because of the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani lands by Armenia.
Earlier SOCAR First Vice-President Khoshbakht Yusifzade said that according to initial data the depth of the salt at the site is 52 meters, while 40 meters thickness of bedding is appropriate for the creation of underground gas storage.
Currently two underground gas storage facilities - Kalmaz and Garadagh are operating in Azerbaijan.
Translated by E.A.