OREANDA-NEWS. November 19, 2009. Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC), a consortium led by BP Azerbaijan, has obtained growth of indicator on daily oil production fro contract offshore oilfield block Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) in Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.

BP Azerbaijan reports that during the first 3 quarters of 2009 production from five producing platforms totaled 822,100 barrels per day (approx. 30 million tons or 224 million bpd for January-September of the year). In the 1st quarter of 2009 production from five platforms totaled only 738,000 bpd (approx. 9 million tons) and in the 2nd quarter 806,200 bpd (about 19.7 million tons).

“105,300 bpd out of overall volume (in the 1st quarter - 114,000 barrels and in the 2nd quarter – 11,700 bpd) was produced at Chirag, 185,800 barrels (131,000 and 266,800 barrels respectively) at Central Azeri, 275,200 barrels (252,000 and 266,800 barrels) at West Azeri, 139,400 barrels (142,000 and 142,800 barrels) at East Azeri, and 116,400 barrels (99,000 and 11,600 barrels) in deepwater Gunashli,” it was informed.

Thus, field Azeri ensure average production of 600,400 barrels of oil on average per day (525,000 and 582,800 barrels).

In 2009 we are planning to produce on average 702,000 barrels per day (about 34.6 million tons a year) from five platforms. It is expected that out of this volume roughly 97,400 barrels per day will be produced at Chirag, 117,900 barrels per day  at Central Azeri, 255,000 barrels per day at West Azeri, 113,400 barrels per day at East Azeri, and 118,000 barrels per day at deepwater Gunashli,” BP Azerbaijan says.

Forecasts and real production are still less than the forecast established by AIOC for 2008: production of 840,000 barrels per day or 42 million tons a year. The forecast was not implemented because of fire on Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, events in Georgia and a breakdown at Central Azeri Platform, consequences of which have not been removed fully so far.

“In 2008 our overall production from platforms at Chirag, Central Azri, West Azeri, East Azeri and deepwater Gunashli reached about 252 million barrels (over 34 million tons a year or on average 688,500 barrels per day). Out of average daily production of 688,500 barrels, we produced 121,800 barrels from Chirag platform, 196,000 barrels at Central Azeri, 209,300 barrels at West Azeri, 113,100 barrels at East Azeri and 48,300 barrels at deepwater Gunashli,” it was reported.

The ACG project partners are: BP (operator: 34.1%), Chevron (10.2%), ExxonMobil (8%), Devon Energy (5.6%), Amerada Hess (2.7%), SOCAR (10%), Inрex Corр. (10%), Itochu Oil (3.9%), Statoil (8.5%), and TPAO (6.8%).

The Production Sharing Agreement on Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli oilfield block development was signed on 24 September 1994. Production of first oil was started in 1997.