Exploration drilling at Babak structure to begin this year

Drilling of exploration well No. 1 on the promising structure "Babak" of the contract block "Umid-Babak" in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea will begin in 2025, Report informs referring to the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR).

The design depth of the well is 6,750 meters. According to the company, the structure "Babak" was discovered in 1959 as a result of seismic exploration. In 2012, three-dimensional (3D) seismic exploration work was carried out on the structure "Babak."

Since 2017, exploration work on the structure "Babak" has been entrusted to the operating company "UBOC" (Umid-Babak Operating Company). The Risk Service Contract for the exploration and development of the Umid-Babak block was signed in 2017 between SOCAR and SOCAR Umid Oil and Gas Limited and entered into force in May 2017. The contract is also accompanied by the "Agreement on the exploration and development of the Umid-Babak block in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea" signed between SOCAR Umid Oil and Gas Limited and Umid, Babak Exploration & Production.

The Umid-Babak block is located in the deepwater part of the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, 75 km from Baku, the sea depth here is 60-700 meters. The reserves of the Umid field, developed by SOCAR, are estimated at at least 200 billion cubic meters of gas and 40 million tons of condensate. The reserves of the Babak structure are estimated at 400 billion cubic meters of gas and 80 million tons of condensate.

The Umid field was commissioned in September 2012. The Babak structure is a continuation of the Umid gas condensate field and is divided by a mud volcano into two different anticlines.