Azerbaijan to reconstruct underground gasholders

There are two gasholders - Garadagh (3.9bn cu m) and Galmas (2.2bn cu m) underground gas holders while buffer volume of gas is never used in order to maintain the pressure balance in the holders (900m cu m in Garadagh and 700m cu m in Galmas).

As APA reports, that technical and economic assessment of the expansion of gas-reserving potential has been carried out and a contest will be announced for the project.

Azerigas chair Alikhan Malikov said the gasholders will be expanded twice.

The preliminary of cost of Garadagh gas holder expansion project is $160mln.

Within the scope of the project, compressors and infrastructure will be reconstructed and 12 wells will be drilled for injection of gas to the holders. The gasholder will not be shut down during the implementation of the project.

16 compressors in Garadagh gasholder will be replaced by two modern turbine compressors and old high-pressure pipelines will be changed in order to redouble their capability. 82 out of 109 injection wells in Galmas and 22 out of 42 injection wells in Garadagh are operation.

Experts say reconstruction of the gasholders is related to their strategic importance and Azerbaijan is one of the rare countries having giant gasholders. For instance, Neighboring Iran doesn’t have such big gasholders at all.

Expansion of the capacity of the gasholders is required in order to take gas volumes from Shah Deniz Field.

Russia also wants to store up its natural gas in Azerbaijan's underground gasholders to supply to its southern regions. Head of Russia's Trade Office in Azerbaijan, Yuri Shedrin, said Gazprom offered this proposal to Azerbaijan during a meeting held in December, 2006.

"We can have good cooperation in this sphere, Azerbaijan's great experience and our potential can complement well," he added.

However, the gasholders can’t store additional gas at their present capacity.

Alikhan Malikov also said that Russia's proposition can be considered after the gasholders are enlarged.