ACG Field Commences Commercial Non-Associated Gas Production

The bp-operated Azeri–Chirag–Gunashli (ACG) field development has commenced non-associated gas (NAG) production operations in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea. The announcement was made by bp on behalf of the ACG co-venturers, which include SOCAR, MOL, INPEX, ExxonMobil, TPAO, and ONGC Videsh. This development marks the first commercial gas production operations on the ACG field, which is historically recognized as one of the world's largest oil-producing fields.

Production Engineering and Platform Integration
Initial NAG production originates from a producer well drilled last year from the existing West Chirag platform. The extraction targets two specific, high-pressure NAG reservoirs positioned beneath the field's primary producing oil reservoirs: the shallower Qirmaki Upper Sand and the deeper Qirmaki Lower Sand.

Drilling operations confirmed gas resource presence within the Qirmaki Upper Sand and identified high-pressure gas parameters inside the Qirmaki Lower Sand. Initial operations are restricted to the deeper Qirmaki Lower Sand reservoir to facilitate a structured period of well and reservoir testing.

Resource Estimation and Logistical Routing
The well serves a dual purpose by delivering early production volumes while capturing critical reservoir and flow data. This telemetry will be utilized to appraise the broader resource base and guide future full-field gas development strategies. The NAG resources across the ACG field are estimated to hold 4 trillion cubic feet of recoverable reserves, with a potential upside reaching 6 trillion cubic feet.

Logistical transport of the extracted gas and associated condensate leverages existing offshore infrastructure. The output is routed directly to the Sangachal Terminal by integrating the field's oil and gas development systems, a configuration designed to optimize the utility of existing offshore facilities.

Edited by Romila DSilva, Induportals Editor, with AI assistance.