Azernews.Az

BAKU – BP began drilling the SDX-06 appraisal well under the second stage of development of the Azerbaijani Shah Deniz offshore gas condensate field. BP is the operator of the field.

"The drilling has already started," an inside source told Trend. "The drilling is carried out under the second stage of the field's development."

The well depth has reached 610 of a projected 6,500 meters.

Drilling will end within 250 days.

The well is being drilled by the Istiglal semi-submersible drilling rig at water depths ranging up to 100 meters.

There are five wells. One field was partially dismantled and mothballed due to the field's poor technical conditions.

Peak production is forecast at over 8.6-9 billion cubic meters. Gas production may be brought up to 25 billion cubic meters per year under the second stage of development.

Gas is transported to Georgia and Turkey via the South Caucasus Pipeline.

The field's reserves are estimated at 1.2 trillion cubic meters during the first stage.

The contract to develop Shah Deniz was signed June 4, 1996. Participants are BP (operator) - 25.5 percent, Statoil Hydro - 25.5 percent, NICO - 10 percent, Total - 10 percent, LukAgip - 10 percent, TPAO - 9 percent, and SOCAR - 10 percent.