15:07 - 7.02.2025

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February 7, Fineko/abc.az. The use of horizontal drilling at Shah Deniz field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea has reduced surface interference, increased gas recovery rate from the reservoir and improved operational safety.

ABC.AZ informs that Hafiz Mirzagayev, Head of the HSE Processes & Procedures Department at SOCAR Upstream Operations Management International (a subsidiary of the State Oil Company), made this statement at the IADC Drilling Caspian 2025 conference in Baku.

According to Mirzagayev, Shah Deniz is one of the largest offshore gas fields in the world, but its development is associated with a number of challenges: "Among them is the unique and sensitive ecosystem of the Caspian Sea, including rare species of flora and fauna requiring special protection, as well as difficult working conditions on the shelf, high cost of gas production and strict environmental standards."

Mirzagayev believes that the use of horizontal drilling has allowed drilling more wells from one offshore platform, which has reduced the need to build additional facilities and thereby minimized the impact on the marine environment.