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President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has attended a symbolic sail-away ceremony for the Azeri-Central-East platform topsides at the Bayil fabrication yard.

bp’s regional president for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye Gary Jones, project general manager for the Azeri-Central-East project Neal Phillips informed the head of state of the work done on the project.

The Azeri-Central-East (ACE) sanction is the first major investment decision by the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) partnership since the extension of the ACG Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) to 2049 was agreed in 2017. The ACE project is a $6 billion development which includes a new offshore platform and facilities designed to process up to 100,000 barrels of oil per day. The project is expected to produce up to 300 million barrels over its lifetime.

ACE is centred on a new 48-slot production, drilling and quarters platform located mid-way between the existing Central Azeri and East Azeri platforms in a water depth of approximately 140 metres. The project also includes new infield pipelines to transfer oil and gas from the ACE platform to the existing ACG Phase 2 oil and gas export pipelines for transportation to the onshore Sangachal terminal.

In addition, there is a water injection pipeline between the East Azeri and ACE platforms to supply injection water from the Central Azeri compression and water injection platform to the ACE facilities.

The ACE topsides facilities have a design weight of 19,600 tonnes containing oil and gas processing facilities, an integrated drilling rig, a gas compressor and living quarters.

The topsides unit has been constructed by Azfen in the Bayil fabrication yard using local infrastructure and resources. Currently, construction and commissioning works are in the final stages with 95% of overall onshore commissioning works already completed.

At peak, the topsides construction activities involved up to 4,400 workers and over 90% of them were Azerbaijani nationals.

Then, a video highlighting the work progress was screened.

The platform will be remotely controlled from Sangachal terminal and includes innovative system automation.

Fuad Ismayilov, Operations Manager at the new Azeri-Central-East platform: Hello, dear Mr. President. We are currently in the Operations Management Center of the platform’s Quarters block.

The key operating principle of this center is to provide safe operation and management of the Azeri-Central-East platform in the event of disruption of communication between the Main Control Room of the Sangachal Terminal and the platform or in an emergency situation.

Mr. President, I am proud to inform you that this is bp’s first remotely operated platform in the world. My colleague will greet you from the Main Control Room of the Sangachal Terminal now.

Seyidagha Karimli, Senior Operator: Hello, dear Mr. President. I am Senior Operator of the Main Control Room of the new Azeri-Central-East project at the Sangachal Terminal. I am currently in the control room from which we are managing all our operations. The technology used here is the most advanced, tested and conforms to international standards.

Mr. President, as part of bp’s first ever remote operation principle, our Main Control Room is designed to manage all operations, including the operation of oil and gas wells of the offshore platform, initial separation and transportation of produced crude oil and gas. Thank you.

President Ilham Aliyev: Congratulations! Good luck!

Employees: Thank you.

President Ilham Aliyev and bp’s regional president for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye Gary Jones pressed the button to launch the symbolic sail away of the topsides unit of the Azeri-Central-East platform.

Construction activities started in 2019 and 85% of the work scope is already completed. At peak, over 8,500 people were involved in the construction works in Azerbaijan.

Then a photo was taken.

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