BP starts production at new oil platform on ACG
By Aynur Jafarova
Oil production has started in West Chirag platform. BP-operated Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC) has began oil production from the platform. The operation is part of the development of giant Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.
"The oil will first pass through the newly installed processing facilities on the platform and then will be exported to the Sangachal Terminal via a new in-field pipeline linked to an existing subsea export pipeline. Production will increase through 2014 as the other pre-drilled wells are brought on line," BP said.
Start-up of the West Chirag platform completes the Chirag Oil Project sanctioned in 2010.
The $6 billion Chirag Oil Project is the next major step in the ongoing development of the ACG field. Over $4 billion of the total project capital expenditure has been used in the construction of facilities and the pre-drill program, and the balance of the sum will be spent on the platform development well drilling during the production period.
The project is planned to increase oil production and recovery from the ACG field through West Chirag platform.
BP's Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey Gordon Birrell believes the start-up of the Chirag Oil Project marks a major milestone in the development of the giant ACG field.
"West Chirag is the eighth world-class offshore platform that we have built and operated in a safe and efficient manner in the Caspian. To date the ACG field has produced over 2.3 billion barrels of oil and with future continual major investments in new technologies and facilities, like the one we have today started up, it will continue to produce as a world-class reservoir for many decades," he said.
West Chirag platform is designed to fill a critical gap in the field infrastructure between the existing Deepwater Gunashli (DWG) and Chirag platforms. The design oil capacity of the West Chirag platform is 183,000 barrels per day. The gas export capacity is 285 million standard cubic feet per day. Over 300 million barrels of oil is planned to be produced during the implementation of the project.
The ACG block of fields has been producing oil since 1997. Production started from the Chirag part of the field and continues successfully to this day. This was followed by the Azeri Project; Central Azeri production started in February 2005, West Azeri began production in December 2005, and East Azeri came on stream in October 2006. The Deepwater Gunashli section launched production in April 2008.