Azeri (Azerbaijani: Azəri) is an Azerbaijani offshore oil field in the Caspian Sea, located 100 km east of the capital Baku, and is a part of the larger Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) project. The Azeri field includes Central Azeri, West Azeri, East Azeri production platforms compression and water injection platform (C&WP).[1] The field was discovered in 1988, and originally it was named after 26 Baku Commissars.[2]
Central Azeri
Central Azeri is a production, drilling and quarters (PDQ) platform located in nearly 128 m depth of water in the central part of the Azeri field. The platform is constructed to produce approximately 420000 oilbbl/d. The facilities on Central Azeri include: Central Azeri has started its operations in February 2005[1]
- a 48-slot PDQ platform
- a 30 in oil pipeline from the platform to the receiving Sangachal Terminal
- a 28 in gas pipeline from the platform to Sangachal Terminal.
West Azeri
West Azeri is a production, drilling and quarters (PDQ) platform located in 120 m depth of water and was constructed to produce oil from the western section of Azeri field. West Azeri adds 300000 oilbbl/d to the overall ACG production.[3] The facilities on West Azeri include: The platform has started its operations in December 2005.[1]
- a 48-slot PDQ platform
- a 30 in oil pipeline from the platform to receiving Sangachal terminal
East Azeri
East Azeri is a production, drilling and quarters (PDQ) platform located in 150 m depth of water and was constructed to produce oil from the eastern section of Azeri field. East Azeri produces 260000 oilbbl/d. The facilities on East Azeri include: The platform has started its operations in October 2006.[4]
- a 48-slot PDQ platform[1]
Compression and water injection platform (C&WP)
The C&WP supplies Central, West and East Azeri platforms with water and gas injection services, manages gas export and provides electrical power using 10 Rolls-Royce turbines. The platform is bridge linked to Central Azeri platform.[1]
Gas injection capacity at C&WP is 1 e9cuft/d utilizing 5 gas injection wells. Water injection capacity is 1 Moilbbl/d utilizing 12 water injection wells. Gas export capacity stands at 250 e6cuft/d. Azeri C&WP has some of the largest water injection pumps and gas injection compressors among BP platforms worldwide. The topsides have been constructed in the ATA (AMEC-Azfen-Tekfen) construction yard in Bibi-Heybat, Azerbaijan.[5]
2008 gas leak and blowout
On 17 September 2008, a gas leak was discovered in the area of the Central Azeri platform after blowout in a gas-injection well.[6][7][8] The platform was shut down and the staff was evacuated.[6][7] As the West Azeri Platform was being powered by a cable from the Central Azeri Platform, it was also shut down.[9] BP, an operator of ACG, suspected a bad cement job caused the leaking gas.[10] Production at the West Azeri Platform resumed on 9 October 2008 and at the Central Azeri Platform in December 2008.[11][12]
See also
- Azeri–Chirag–Gunashli
- Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline
- Sangachal Terminal
- South Caucasus Pipeline
- Baku–Supsa Pipeline
- Baku–Novorossiysk pipeline
- Nabucco pipeline
- Baku–Novo Filya gas pipeline
- Nakhchivan field
External links
References
- [http://www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9006667&contentId=7015091 Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli. The largest oil field under development in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian basin.]^
- Igor S. Zonn, Aleksey N. Kosarev, Michael H. Glantz, Andrey G. Kostianoy. The Caspian Sea Encyclopedia Springer Science+Business Media, 2010^
- BP Begins Production at West Azeri Field in the Caspian Sea Rigzone, 2006-01-05, retrieved 2009-12-09^
- Production Begins at East Azeri in the Caspian Sea BP, 2006-10-23, retrieved 2009-12-09^
- "Golden Weld" Ceremony Links Azerbaijan and Georgia Azerbaijan International, Winter 2004, retrieved 2009-12-09^
- Lada Yevgrashina. BP halves Azeri oil production after gas leak 2008-09-17, retrieved 2012-07-01^
- Eduard Gismatullin. BP Shuts Down Two Azeri Oil Platforms After Gas Leak 2008-09-17, retrieved 2012-07-01^
- Vivienne Walt. WikiLeaks: BP's 'Other' Offshore Drilling Disaster Time, 2010-07-01, retrieved 2012-07-01^
- US Embassy in Azerbaijan. US embassy cables: BP may never know cause of gas leak, US told The Guardian, 2008-10-08, retrieved 2012-07-01^
- US Embassy in Azerbaijan. US embassy cables: BP blames gas leak on 'bad cement job' The Guardian, 2009-01-15, retrieved 2012-07-01^
- Lada Yevgrashina. BP resumes oil output at one Azeri platform 2008-10-10, retrieved 2012-07-01^
- Lada Yevgrashina. BP partially resumes production at Azeri platform 2008-12-23, retrieved 2012-07-01^