Offshore staff
BAKU, Azerbaijan – The 19,600-metric-ton Azeri Central East (ACE) platform topsides unit has departed the Bayil fabrication yard in Azerbaijan and is sailing toward its offshore location in the Caspian Sea as part of the bp-operated Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli (ACG) field development.
Prior to sail away, the topsides were mostly commissioned and had been operationally tested onshore to minimize activities needed for offshore installation and startup.
Main commissioning work included the successful completion of the rig access period, an integrated assurance test and blowdown safety testing. The topsides unit was then jacked-up and lowered onto the load-out frame in preparation for skidding onto the transportation barge STB-1, which had arrived at the Bibi-Heybat yard in late May.
Early in July, the topsides unit was transferred onto the barge, sea-fastened and prepared for sail away to the ACG Field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.
bp estimates the transportation, float-over and installation schedule should take about four days to complete. The topsides will be set down on the ACE platform jacket, which was installed at its offshore location in March in a water depth of 137 m.
Gary Jones, bp’s regional president for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye, said, “This platform will be controlled remotely from the Sangachal terminal, and this is the first time in our experience in the Caspian that we will control an offshore platform from onshore…
“We expect the topsides unit to be safely installed onto the jacket over the next week. We will then need a few months to complete offshore hookup and commissioning works to allow us to commence drilling the first platform production well and deliver ACE first oil in early 2024.”
Azfen started construction of the 19,600-tonne topsides in 2019. It comprises oil and gas processing facilities, an integrated drilling rig, a gas compressor and living quarters.
The $6-billion ACE project represents the next stage of development of the giant ACG Field.
ACE’s new 48-slot production, drilling and quarters platform will be located mid-way between the existing Central Azeri and East Azeri platforms. The project includes new infield subsea pipelines that will take oil and gas from the ACE platform to the existing ACG Phase 2 oil and gas export pipelines for onward delivery to the onshore Sangachal terminal.
In addition, a water injection pipeline between the East Azeri and ACE platforms will supply injection water from the Central Azeri compression and water injection platform to the ACE facilities, which are designed to process up to 100,000 bbl/d of oil.
Over its lifespan the development should produce up to 300 MMbbl.
08.07.2023
