SOCAR to install new equipment at Bulla Deniz emergency well
By Aynur Jafarova
Azerbaijan's state energy company SOCAR has launched the installation of the control head in the emergency gas exploration well at the Caspian field of Bulla Deniz that has been blazing since August 17, SOCAR head Rovnag Abdullayev told journalists on October 1.
According to him, all necessary equipment was delivered and tested and deployed before. However, work was not carried out last week due to bad weather. Currently, the weather is conducive for installing the equipment.
Abdullayev stressed that the company intends to keep the well for further utilization.
The fire started at the well at a depth of 5,868. All of the 60 people working on the platform were evacuated safely. According to SOCAR, the fire erupted at night on August 17 during drilling at a depth of 5,868 meters. A gas blowout occurred at 23:30 local time, which was followed by fire. As a result of the accident, some 62 platform workers were evacuated to safety and no casualties were reported.
Bulla Deniz is estimated to contain 17 billion cubic meters of natural gas. SOCAR has been developing the field since 1975. There are 15 operational wells at Bulla Deniz at the moment. SOCAR pumped about 62 million metric tons of gas and 11 million tons of condensate from the field between 1975 and 2009.