First Shah Deniz 2 Topsides Installed

The first Shah Deniz 2 platform topsides has been installed, according to the offshore Caspian field's operator BP.

Following the successful sail-away of Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz 2 Quarters and Utilities (QU) platform topsides on the STB-1 transportation barge, the topsides unit arrived in its location at around 6pm local time on July 2, BP said.

On July 3, the float-over operations started with the STB-1 moving slowly into the jacket slot. The float-over operation was completed with full load transfer onto the jacket at 3pm. That evening, the first residents of the new platform – the platform manager and the initial hook-up and commissioning (HUC) team -- transferred to the platform to begin HUC operations.

“This is very good news with the QU deck float over operation successfully completed. It is great to see it was executed safely. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this milestone through all phases of project preparation and execution,” said Ewan Drummond, BP’s Vice President, Projects.

The contract for development of the Shah Deniz offshore field was signed on June 4 1996. Shareholders in the contract are BP as operator with 28.8%, Azeri state Socar-owned AzSD (10%), SGC Upstream (6.7%) a part of the Azerbaijan state's Southern Gas Corridor Closed Joint Stock Company, Malaysian state Petronas (15.5%), Russia's Lukoil and Iran's state NIOC (each 10%) and Turkish state upstream firm TPAO (19%). First gas and condensate production within the Shah Deniz-2 project are planned for the summer of 2018, with first gas flows to Europe scheduled in 2020.

Installing the first Shah Deniz 2 platform topsides this week (Photo credit: BP)

Azerbaijan Desk