Caspian Platform Gas Leak Forces Evacuation

A gas leak at well No. 319 on Platform 7 in the shallow part of the Gunashli field, offshore Azerbaijan, has forced the evacuation of personnel May 11, state oil company Socar said.

After the gas leakage at 16:00 local time CEO Rovnag Abdullaev (pictured below), who was at the scene, ordered full evacuation of personnel.

The company said the leakage occurred during the absorption of mud and the necessary measures have been taken and the wellhead closed.

According to the company, to minimise the risk of an accident all drilling from the platform has been suspended. “The operational team of Socar specialists from the neighbouring platform and the on-duty vessels are monitoring the situation,” the company said.

(Credit: Socar)

Socar commissioned the platform at Gunashli in March 2016, in water depth of 148 metres. It is designed to drill 20 production wells, of which six are gas wells, and 14 oil wells. Drilling well 319 began April 27, 2017. Before the accident, two oil wells were in operation on the platform.

Last year, Socar’s Platform 4 caught fire and also several explosions occurred in onshore pipelines, close to the Sangachal terminal where gas is processed.

Azerbaijan desk