BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 17. The first oil production from the Azeri Central East (ACE) platform at the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli block of fields is expected to be launched in the first quarter of next year, bp Regional President to Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye Gary Jones said during a briefing dedicated to bp's plans for the future, Trend reports.
"In connection with the construction of the ACE platform, we expect an increase in production here. The construction of the ACE platform has already been completed by 85 percent and it is at the stage of installation offshore,” Jones noted.
“Besides, work is being completed on the construction of the upper modules of the platform. I would like to emphasize that ACE will use the most advanced technology and the platform will be almost completely automated," he stressed.
The bp’s representative further said that 5,500 people were involved in the platform construction.
"In the second quarter of this year, we plan to send the upper modules to the sea, and we expect to start production of the first oil in the first quarter of next year," Jones added.
The ACE project is a $6 billion development that includes a new offshore platform and facilities designed to process up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day. The project is expected to produce over 400 million barrels per day by the end of 2020s.
The ACE project costing $6 billion includes a new offshore platform and other facilities designed to produce up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day. The ACE platform will maintain oil production at the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) block of fields above 400,000 barrels per day until the end of the 2020s.
Within the project, a new 48-slot production, drilling, and quarters platform will be built mid-way between the existing Central Azeri and East Azeri platforms in a water depth of approximately 140 meters.
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. The jacket of the Azeri Central East (ACE) platform will be installed in a water depth of 137 meters.