Azernews.Az

By Aynur Jafarova

Azerbaijan's state energy company SOCAR has started exploratory drilling at the Agburun-Deniz offshore structure in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.

The drilling operations from a floating drilling rig of Khazar-6 type in the south-west wing of the structure aim to study the stratigraphy, lithology and oil and gas-bearing levels in the area, the company said on May 14.

The projected depth of the well is 1,250 meters.

The Agburun Deniz structure is located six kilometers south from the West Absheron field.

One of the primary obligations, set before SOCAR in accordance with the State Program for the Development of the Fuel and Energy Sector (2005-2015), is to increase oil and gas production and to discover new oil and gas fields.

SOCAR produced over 8.31 million tons of oil from Azerbaijan's onshore and offshore fields in 2013, which was equal to 8.24 million tons in 2012. In total, some 43.48 million tons of oil was produced in Azerbaijan in 2013, versus 43 million tons in 2012.

Azerbaijan's energy giant SOCAR, which is keen on expanding operations in the retail oil products market abroad, is involved in exploring oil and gas fields, producing, processing, and transporting oil, gas, and gas condensate, marketing petroleum and petrochemical products in the domestic and international markets, and supplying natural gas to industry and the public in Azerbaijan.