BP set for historic subsea operation in Caspian

British oil and gas giant BP is preparing to begin a series of subsea operations at the Deepwater Gunashli site, part of Azerbaijan’s Azeri–Chirag–Gunashli (ACG) field block, next week.

The operation will mark the first deployment of a Light Well Intervention Vessel (LWIV) in the Caspian, with Russell Morrice, BP’s Vice President for Wells in the Azerbaijan–Georgia–Türkiye region, announcing the plans on LinkedIn.

The subsea construction vessel Khankendi has been fully converted for the operation and will carry out a series of interventions at the CDWG field. The project will see the first global use of the Oceaneering BORIS (Blue Ocean Riserless Intervention System), supported by Saipem as vessel operator and SLB providing intervention equipment.

Morrice said the project was the result of “a huge effort by the combined team to mobilise all the equipment and install it successfully on the KK vessel.” 

He also thanked SOCAR and the ACG partners for their support, along with BP’s AGT Wells operations and engineering teams for their long hours in bringing the project together.

By Aghakazim Guliyev