East Azeri oil delivered to Sangachal Terminal

The Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC), operated by BP, on Oct.10 announced the start-up of oil production from the East Azeri platform four months ahead of schedule, APA reports.

The daily production has beaten 70 000 barrels in the two pre-drilled wells. Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli produces 600 000 barrels per day, exceeding the planned 500 000 barrels.

Oil from EA will be transported via the new 30 subsea pipeline to the onshore Sangachal Terminal. Associated gas produced from EA, less platform fuel needs, will flow via in-field subsea gas pipelines to the Compression and Water Injection Platform (C&WP) for re-injection into the reservoir for pressure maintenance. Surplus gas will be exported via an existing gas subsea pipeline to the Sangachal Terminal and onward to the Azerigas system for domestic use.

East Azeri completes Phase 2 of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) field development in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea. Phase 3, which will develop the Deep Water Gunashli area of ACG, remains on schedule to commence production in 2008.

Production will increase through mid-2007 as the other pre-drilled wells are brought online, prior to platform drilling commencing. On plateau, the EA facility will produce 260,000 barrels per day bringing total Azeri production, including West and Central Azeri, to over 800,000 barrels per day.

The parties to the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) Production Sharing Agreement are: BP (operator - 34.1%), Chevron (10.3%), SOCAR (10%), INPEX (10.0%), Statoil (8.6%), ExxonMobil (8%), TPAO (6.8%), Devon (5.6%), Itochu (3.9%), Hess (2.7%).