Baku, Azerbaijan, July 4
By Kamalya Mammadli - Trend:
The Norwegian company Equinor (former Statoil) held public hearings on the exploration drilling project on the prospective Aypara structure, a part of Ashrafi-Dan Ulduzu-Aypara (ADUA) field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, Trend reports from the event.
The first well “Aypara-1” will be drilled next year, the company representatives said at the hearings.
“We plan to use the Dede-Gorgud drilling rig, which is in the process of modernization and reconstruction,” said Equinor Drilling Manager Arne Holvik.
He noted that after the completion of the modernization, the drilling of the appraisal well at the Karabakh field will start first, and after completion of the work there, it will be moved to the Aypara structure.
“This will take place tentatively at the end of this year or at the beginning of next year,” said Holvik.
According to the company, no complications are expected during the drilling, as neither pressure nor temperatures will be high during the drilling.
Drilling of a well involves opening of the productive stratum until the Nadkirmakinsk sandy suite and an assessment of potential hydrocarbon reserves.
Regardless of the results, the well will be eliminated, and its use in the future isn’t expected.
In line with the project by Equinor, the well at Aypara structure will be standard and it will be drilled vertically to the depth of 3,400 meters with the water depth of 140 meters. This may take 2-3 months, according to the report.
The Aypara structure is located 25 kilometers north-west from the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) field and 90 kilometers away from Baku. Equinor and SOCAR each holds 50 percent stake in the project.