Azerbaijan’s key oil producer obtained 738,000 bpd of oil production

BP Azerbaijan reported that in the 1st quarter of 2009 production from five platforms totaled 738,000 bpd (approx. 9 million tons) of oil.

“114,000 barrels out of this volume was produced at Chirag, 131,000 barrels at Central Azeri, 252,000 barrels at West Azeri, 142,000 barrels at East Azeri, and 99,000 barrels in deepwater Gunashli,” it was informed.

Thus, field Azeri ensure production of 525,000 bpd of oil on average.

“In 2009 we are planning to produce on average 702,000 bpd (about 34.6 million tons a year) from five platforms. It is expected that out of this volume roughly 97,400 bpd will be produced at Chirag, 117,900 bpd at Central Azeri, 255,000 bpd at West Azeri, 113,400 bpd at East Azeri, and 118,000 bpd at deepwater Gunashli,” BP Azerbaijan says.

Forecasts and real production are still less than the forecast established by AIOC for 2008: production of 840,000 bpd or 42 million tons a year. The forecast was not implemented because of fire on Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, events in Georgia and a breakdown at Central Azeri Platform, consequences of which have not been removed fully so far.

“In 2008 our overall production from platforms at Chirag, Central Azri, West Azeri, East Azeri and deepwater Gunashli reached about 252 million barrels (over 34 million tons a year or on average 688,500 bpd). Out of average daily production of 688,500 barrels, we produced 121,800 barrels from Chirag platform, 196,000 barrels at Central Azeri, 209,300 barrels at West Azeri, 113,100 barrels at East Azeri and 48,3000 barrels at deepwater Gunashli,” it was reported.

The ACG project partners are: BP (operator: 34.1%), Chevron (10.2%), ExxonMobil (8%), Devon Energy (5.6%), Amerada Hess (2.7%), SOCAR (10%), In?ex Cor?. (10%), Itochu Oil (3.9%), Statoil (8.5%), and TPAO (6.8%).

The Production Sharing Agreement on Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli oilfield block development was signed on 24 September 1994. Production of first oil was started in 1997.

/Azerbaijan Business Center/