By the end of the third quarter of this year, the Azeri Central East (ACE) project had reached the 94% progress milestone, said a joint press release issued by bp Exploration (Caspian Sea) Limited on the results of the third quarter of 2023, Report informs.
During the first three quarters, the ACE platform jacket sailed away from the Heydar Aliyev Baku Deepwater Jackets Factory, where it was built, to its permanent location at the ACG field and was installed at a water depth of 137 meters. The jacket was fully commissioned and tested onshore prior to its sail away on March 16.
On April 4, the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, visited the ACE platform topsides unit fabrication yard in Bibi-Heybat and toured the almost completed topsides before it had sailed away to its permanent location.
Most of the key topsides commissioning and testing activities planned to be performed onshore were successfully completed during the first half of the year. For instance, for the first time, the blowdown safety testing was performed onshore using nitrogen. This eliminated the need for testing the system on hydrocarbons during the offshore start-up.
Following these completions and testing activities, on August 7, the topside unit sailed away from the Bayil fabrication yard, where it was built, to the ACG field. The transportation, float-over, and installation activities had been carefully planned and were completed in around two days.
Offshore, the project then progressed with hook-up activities, completed the initial rig skid, and achieved the operationalization of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, as well as the firewater pump, freshwater, and sewage treatment packages.
On September 13, the project achieved offshore habitation, enabling the transfer of all personnel onboard the ACE platform. Following this, the Derrick Barge Azerbaijan (DBA), which was used as flotel during installation, commissioning, and testing works, was released.
Subsea, the load-out frame was successfully removed from the STB-1 barge, and jacket mode reinstatement commenced. The project delivered gas spools 1, 3, 5 and oil spool 1, and completed the disconnection of the 16” water injection pig receiver at East Azeri.
All other start-up activities and preparations required for the delivery of ACE first oil in early 2024 are progressing on schedule.