Aquaterra Energy to Supply Centralisers for BP in Azerbaijan

Offshore engineering specialist and leading global supplier of centraliser products, Aquaterra Energy, has secured a contract to design and install 260 centralisers for BP Azerbaijan in their latest development on the West Chirag Platform in the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) oil fields in the Caspian Sea.

The Aquaterra Energy contract includes pre-engineering the casing requirements and devising a centraliser package for the tieback operations. The West Chirag Platform has 48 drilling slots, of which 20 are deemed ‘tieback slots’. A maximum of 17 wells will be tied back to the platform during BP’s pre-drilling programme and will require centralisation.

The centraliser package has been produced in conjunction with the Riser Analysis, also performed by Aquaterra Energy, to verify that conductor connections, centraliser and joint positions agree with the Analysis requirements. A range of centraliser designs will be delivered in the third quarter of 2013, including 22” Conductor Guide Eccentric and Fixed Blade Centralisers, Stop Collars and Internal Casing 13 3/8” Centralisers.

The centralisers will provide a critical interface between the jacket structure of the platform and the well system and will ensure concentricity between inner casing strings and outer conductor strings. They will be designed to withstand the maximum lateral and axial loads that can be experienced during pipe running, installation and operation of the wells. The centralisers will also utilise a thermally sprayed aluminium (TSA) coating system together with sacrificial anodes for the Conductor Guide Eccentric Centralisers, to meet the platform’s design life of 25 years.

Aquaterra Energy has provided products, services and expertise to BP Azerbaijan over many years including tieback engineering services on BP’s Shah Deniz gas wells. Aquaterra Energy has continued to provide operational support and products, including the supply of downhole camera systems, rental tools and bespoke centralisers to the operator.

Larry Colby, Senior Project Engineer at Aquaterra Energy who has managed many of these projects in Azerbaijan said: “The West Chirag Platform Azeri field contract builds on successful previous work by Aquaterra Energy for BP in the Shah Deniz field. Our experienced engineers and offshore technicians have provided excellent equipment, service and support. These high standards and our commitment to safety offshore have helped us to continue to secure work with BP and to build a strong relationship and mutual professional respect.”