Baku, Azerbaijan, Aug. 22
By Sara Israfilbayova - Trend:
The Satti jack-up drilling rig is still in the process of modernization, which will be completed in about seven to eight months, a source in SOCAR told Trend.
Commenting on how much the technical characteristics of the installation will improve as a result of modernization, the source noted that it will be equipped with a 3rd mud pump, an additional diesel generator, a device for mechanized suspension of pipes during tripping operations with remote control, and an automated pipe-laying system.
“Blowout preventers can withstand pressures of up to 15 psi. It is planned to increase the capacity of the rig and lifting equipment up to 1.5 million pounds. At least 92 people can live and work at the jack-up drilling rig due to the expansion of the residential block,” the source noted.
After modernization, the installation will be used for drilling wells in shallow water around the Absheron Peninsula (the Shallow Water Absheron Peninsula (SWAP) project) by order of BP, after which it is planned to use it on the Babek structure.
In February 2019, Kazakhstan’s KazMunayGas agreed on the transfer of Satti jack-up drilling rig to the trust management of SOCAR. According to the agreements, the Kazakh drilling rig will be used in drilling exploratory wells in the shallow waters of the Absheron archipelago.
The Satti jack-up drilling rig is designed for drilling in the Caspian Sea to a depth of 80 meters. Its modernization is envisaged as part of the operation of the jack-up drilling rig in Azerbaijan, which will ensure safe and effective drilling of exploratory wells up to 6,000 meters deep.
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