Azerbaijani operator completes latest deep offshore well in Caspian Sea

The operator of Azerbaijan’s Umid-Babek offshore gas development project has completed the initial phase of drilling a first deep appraisal well, part of an ambitious plan to boost natural gas production at the Umid field in the Caspian Sea.

Azerbaijan state-run oil and gas company Socar said in a statement on Monday that the well, spudded from jack-up drilling rig Neptune at the southern flank of Umid, reached a depth of 6972 metres in April.

The deep well adds to several others drilled in the Caspian Sea, including recently at the BP-led Azeri–Chirag–Guneshli and Shah Deniz fields, and also at the TotalEnergies-operated Absheron field.

The drilling is part of efforts by western and local operators to identify new offshore gas reserves in support of Azerbaijan’s long-term goal to double gas exports to Europe to 20 billion cubic metres per annum.

Most of Azerbaijan’s onshore oil and gas has been extracted in the 100 years since the country began producing oil.

In the next phase of the ongoing drilling assignment, Neptune will spud a sidetrack with a horizontal section from the existing hole to prepare the well for commercial production once gas offtake infrastructure is built.

Uboc will use the data collected during the drilling and testing of the new appraisal wells to finalise development schemes for both flanks of the field.

Once the two appraisal wells are completed, development plans have been finalised and new drilling locations determined, the operator will deploy the Neptune to spud additional development wells at both locations, Upstream understands.

Uboc said earlier in April that it had extended the charter contract for Neptune with its current Azeri operator, Caspian Oilfield Services, until end of 2027.

Socar is an 80% shareholder in the Umid-Babek development, with the remaining interest held by UK privately owned company, Nobel Upstream.

According to Nobel, Umid’s proved and probable reserves are estimated at 3.5 trillion cubic feet of gas and about 100 million barrels of condensate.

Vladimir Afanasyev