BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov.21
By Leman Zeynalova – Trend:
Works on commencing drilling at Shallow Water Absheron Peninsula (SWAP) in Azerbaijan are on track.
Ibrahim Ahmadov, deputy head of the public relations and events department at Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR, told Trend that seismic survey at Shallow Water Absheron Peninsula (SWAP) was conducted by Caspian Geo (then Caspian Geophysical), the joint venture of Azerbaijan’s state oil company SOCAR and London-based WesternGeco, as well as by Geokinetics (Houston).
“2D and 3D seismic surveys were completed in 2017 and based on the data analysis, three prospective zones were determined in the west, south-east and north-east of the Shallow Water Absheron Peninsula. It was decided to drill three wells on these zones for getting a more precise evaluation of the reservoir. We plan to drill those appraisal wells with Satti jack-up rig, which is undergoing modernization at the moment. The drilling will be carried out by the Caspian Drilling Company (CDC) of SOCAR. As for expediency of attracting additional drilling rig of Kazakhstan’s KazMunaiGas, it became necessary, as our active drilling rigs are simultaneously involved in numerous drilling operations in other fields in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea,” he said.
Earlier, Azerbaijan told Trend that it is planned to start drilling at Shallow Water Absheron Peninsula next year.
“We continue to work on planning for the exploration wells drilling in the selected three prospective areas on Shallow Water Absheron Peninsula (SWAP). The current plans are to commence drilling activities on SWAP in the first half of 2020,” said the company.
Shallow Water Absheron Peninsula (SWAP) is a prospective block around the Absheron Peninsula in Azerbaijan.
The production sharing agreement (PSA) between SOCAR and BP for geological exploration and development of promising structures in shallow waters around Azerbaijan’s Absheron Peninsula was signed on December 22, 2014.
The work under the agreement is divided into three phases: primary exploration, main exploration and field development. The agreement envisages that the development phase will last 23 years, but this period may be extended.
---
Follow the author on Twitter: @Lyaman_Zeyn