bp set to conduct seismic surveys at ADUA

BP, as the operator under the Ashrafi-Dan Ulduzu-Aypara (ADUA) production-sharing agreement in the Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea, has published the draft Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the project’s seismic survey programme on behalf of the Contractor Parties.

According to bp, the document provides a summary of the proposed seismic survey programme activities, examines the potential environmental and socio-economic impacts associated with the programme, and describes the recommended mitigation and monitoring measures. 

The EIA process aims to ensure that any adverse environmental and socio-economic impacts arising from the proposed works are identified and minimised, and, where possible, eliminated.   
The ADUA project seismic survey programme includes a 2D High-Resolution (HR) seismic survey.

The survey is planned to be short in duration, lasting up to 20 days, and will cover a small area located in the north-western part of the ADUA block. It is scheduled to take place between February and April 2026 in water depths ranging from 20 to 40 metres.

The primary objective of the 2D HR seismic survey is to acquire detailed subsurface data to a depth of approximately 1,500 metres to support the planning of future exploration wells. The survey will help identify shallow geological hazards, including faults, shallow gas accumulations, and other subsurface features that could pose risks to drilling operations and well integrity.

Consultations with stakeholders are an important element of the EIA process. Listening to and documenting the opinions of interested parties ensures that the project design and the EIA reflect the collective views of key stakeholders.

The full draft EIA document and the non-technical summary have been produced in Azerbaijani and English. The English version is available on the link below.

ADUA-project-draft-Environmental-Impact-Assessment-EIA-document (bp.com)

By Aghakazim Guliyev