BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 28. bp as operator of the Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli (ACG) field announces that the Azeri Central East (ACE) project, which is the next phase of the ACG development, has achieved a major milestone by safely and efficiently transporting, jacking and skidding two drilling modules onto the ACE topsides deck currently under construction, Trend reports citing bp.
The two drilling modules - the Modular Drilling Support Module (MDSM) and the Drilling Equipment Set (DES) were fabricated on the ground separately from the topsides deck before commencing the “Jack and Skid” operation. The MDSM module weighs 2,350 tonnes measuring 43m long, 20m wide and 20m high, whilst the DES module weighs 2,400 tonnes and is 32m long, 22m wide and 80m high. They were built at the fabrication yard in Bibi-Heybat.
The overall ACE construction and commissioning activities are currently at peak with around 75 percent of the project completed and with about 5,000 people across Baku, Europe and the UK, with the majority of them being Azerbaijani nationals.
The $6 billion development includes a new offshore platform and facilities designed to process up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day. The project is expected to achieve first production in 2023 and produce up to 300 million barrels over its lifetime.
The Azeri Central East project is centred on a new 48-slot production, drilling and quarters platform located mid-way between the existing Central Azeri and East Azeri platforms in a water depth of approximately 140 metres. The project will also include new infield pipelines to transfer oil and gas from the ACE platform to the existing ACG Phase 2 oil and gas export pipelines for transportation to the onshore Sangachal Terminal.
In addition, there will be a water injection pipeline installed between the East Azeri and ACE platforms to supply injection water from the Central Azeri compression and water injection platform to the ACE facilities.
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