bp announces time of onshore commissioning ACE topsides
BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 4. bp expects Azeri-Central-East (ACE) platform topsides onshore construction and commissioning works to be completed in the second quarter of this year, Gary Jones, bp’s regional president for Azerbaijan, Georgia and Türkiye, said, Trend reports.
“The topsides unit is the final major step the project is currently taking towards full completion. We expect topsides onshore construction and commissioning works to be completed in the second quarter of this year. Once fully completed and operationally tested the unit will be loaded out onto the transportation barge STB-1, transported to its permanent location and installed onto the jacket which is already at the field. We will then need a few months to complete offshore commissioning works and drill the first platform well to deliver first ACE oil early 2024,” he said.
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 percent of overall onshore commissioning works already completed.
The $6 billion ACE project is the next stage of development of the giant ACG field in Caspian Sea. 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 platform and facilities are 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. The platform will be remotely controlled from the Sangachal terminal and includes innovative system automation. Construction activities started in 2019 and 85% of the work scope is already completed with outstanding safety achievements of over 25 million hours worked injury free.
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