French Total to use new technology in Azerbaijani field

6 November 2015 10:51 (UTC+04:00)

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By Aynur Karimova

French Total Company will implement a project for platform power supply from shore, and this project will be carried out for the first time in Azerbaijan.

This was announced by Edouard Thibaut, the company’s representative, at the SPE Annual Caspian Technical Conference and Exhibition in Baku on November 5.

He said that Absheron gas and condensate field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea is well positioned for supply of electricity from the shore.

“The platform automatic control system will help reduce the cost of maintenance at sea,” he noted. “The field’s relatively close proximity to the shore ensures the availability of electricity from a gas processing plant in Sangachal. Thus, Absheron is ideal for implementation of the project for power supply from the shore.”

The discovery of the Absheron field was announced in September 2011.

According to SOCAR geologists, the reserves of Absheron could amount to 350 billion cubic meters of gas and 45 million metric tons of condensate.

Absheron project participants include SOCAR - 40 percent, Total – 40 percent and Gaz De France Suez - 20 percent.

It is expected that the first volume of gas from the Absheron field will be received in late 2021 or early 2022. The final investment decision on the project will be made in the fourth quarter of 2017 and the beginning of the drilling of the first well is expected in the third quarter of 2019.

Aynur Karimova is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Aynur_Karimova