Second "Shah Deniz 2" platform topsides unit installed offshore

Baku. 21 September. REPORT.AZ/ The sail away and offshore installation of the second topsides unit built for the "Shah Deniz Stage 2" project in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea - the topsides of the Production and Risers (PR) platform was carried out.

Report informs, the field operator BP Azerbaijan states.

This follows the safe and successful sail away and offshore installation of the Quarters and Utilities (QU) platform topsides in early June. According to the statement, the PR platform topsides unit, which was completed ahead of schedule, sailed away to the "Shah Deniz" contract area in the Caspian Sea from the "Azfen" fabrication yard in Bibi-Heybat on 15 September. Prior to that, the topsides unit was jacked up onto the load-out frame at the quayside of the fabrication yard on 6 August 2017 and was transferred onto the STB-1 transportation barge on 9 September in preparation for sail away.

The transportation, float-over and installation activities were carefully planned and took 6 days to complete. The unit now has been installed on top of the PR jacket which was already at its offshore location in a water depth of 94 metres waiting for the deck.

The PR platform topsides unit weighs about 15,800 tonnes and is 100 meters long by 60 meters wide. It contains a 133-meter-long flare boom, 10 flowline reception facilities, five production separators, two flash gas compressors and three production export flowlines.

The construction of the PR topsides unit, which was built by the AMEC-Tekfen-Azfen (ATA) consortium at the "Azfen" fabrication yard, was fully undertaken in the country using local infrastructure and facilities. Over 5,000 people, including sub-contractors and specialist vendors, were involved in the construction works. More than 90% of these were Azerbaijani citizens.

Ewan Drummond, BP’s Vice President, Projects, said: “The PR platform topsides sail away and safe offshore installation is an extremely important project milestone as it finalises our offshore facilities fabrication delivery. We are very pleased to deliver this final offshore installation activity safely and in time to support the giant Shah Deniz Stage 2 project completion and First Gas delivery next year. I am pleased to say that the project is making good progress towards full completion on schedule and below the planned budget. I would like to thank every person whose hard work has made it possible to achieve this milestone with excellent safety results”.