Turkey Gas Field
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Turkey
is taking a close look at gas export from Turkmenistan
5 March 2015 - 3:45pm
Victoria Panfilova, an observer of Nezavisimaya Gazeta. Exclusively for Vestnik
Kavkaza
A short-term visit by the President of Turkmenistan to Turkey has been completed.
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov discussed cooperation with Turkish leaders in the
energy sector, in particular, about Turkmen gas supplies to Europe through
the territory of Azerbaijan and Turkey.
According to experts, Ankara is creating a new energy alliance - Turkey-Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan.
This is a return visit by the Turkmen President to Ankara.
Turkmenistan became the first country in Central Asia for Recep Tayyip Erdogan
to visit as head of state.
Ashgabat-Ankara cooperation was born immediately after Turkmenistan gaining
independence, and today the country has more than 600 Turkish companies -
in energy, construction, telecommunications, the textile industry and agriculture.
And the number of these companies will grow.
This assumption was made by the participants of the International Investment
Forum, which took place yesterday in Istanbul.
However, the direction of energy cooperation is considered the most promising.
The first agreement to import 30 billion cubic meters of Turkmen gas to Ankara
was signed in 1997.
It was planned that the Turkmen gas would go to Europe.
However, the contract is not being implemented due to the uncertain status
of the Caspian Sea, not allowing the opportunity to implement large projects.
Today the situation around the Caspian Sea has not changed, but Ankara has
decided to revive the project. The European Union is also very interested
in it, which is lobbying for the construction of the Trans-Caspian pipeline
to reduce energy dependence on Russia.
Ankara declares its readiness to contribute to solving the issue of transit
of Caspian energy to Europe through its territory.
Ashgabat, in its turn, is also interested in exporting its natural gas to
the European market.
Especially as Russia has previously purchased more than 40 billion cubic
meters of gas per year, declined the volumes of gas up to 9 billion cubic
meters in 2009, and stopped at buying only 4 billion cubic meters per year
in 2015.
As a result, Ashgabat has a gas surplus.
The TANAP project, being part of the Southern Gas Corridor, envisages the
transportation of gas via Turkey to Europe. It is necessary to build additional
compressor units to complement the pipeline with Turkmen gas.
Participation of the Turkmen side in this project, according to experts,
can give impetus to the formation of an Ankara-Baku-Ashgabat energy alliance,
and Turkmenistan has been pumping its oil to the West through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
pipeline since 2010.
A political scientist, the director of the Alternativa Center for Actual
Studies, Andrei Chebotarev, believes that Turkmenistan is interested in joining
the TANAP project. "Iran, China and Russia are actual buyers of Turkmen gas.
In recent years, the volume of its exports to Russia is reducing, but this
is due to not only economic, but also certain political factors.
Turkmen leadership has repeatedly stated the need to diversify the supply
of domestic energy resources, for which they should find new routes, including
in the European direction. This is particularly relevant, because Berdimuhamedov
instructed to bring the volume of production and export of natural gas to
a level not less than 83.8 and 48 billion cubic meters respectively. And
gas production to increase to 187.7 billion cubic meters by 2020," Chebotarev
said.
However, despite the willingness to cooperate, there are circumstances which
can impede the participation of Turkmenistan in the TANAP project.
Turkmenistan has no direct pipeline connections with Azerbaijan, and Turkmen
gas needs to be supplied to Baku in liquid form by tankers to resolve the
status of the Caspian Sea and the construction of the Trans-Caspian pipeline,
which will significantly increase its production costs, since the transport
of liquefied natural gas is a technologically difficult and expensive process.
In this regard, there are certain doubts about its demand for European consumers.
But it seems to Ankara, increasing its geopolitical functionality, that the
problems of Ashgabat don't seem serious, and it is ready to play a significant
role in their resolution.
In any case, Recep Tayyip Erdogan's statement about the meeting of the leaders
of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Turkey in the near future in Ashgabat, was
made in this context.
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Turkey ExxonMobil, TPAO JV
Deepwater Black Sea Exploration
ExxonMobil Corp. 11/19/2008
ExxonMobil announced that its affiliate, ExxonMobil Exploration and Production
Turkey B.V., has signed an agreement with Turkish national oil company, Turkiye
Petrolleri Anonim Ortaklygy (TPAO), to explore in two large deepwater blocks
offshore Turkey, marking ExxonMobil's entry into Black Sea exploration.
ExxonMobil will become operator during the initial exploration phase and
earn a 50 percent interest in the Samsun Block, which measures approximately
2 million acres (8,500 square kilometers) and the eastern portion of 3921
Block, which measures approximately 5 million acres (21,000 square kilometers).
Water depths reach an approximate 6,500 feet (2,000 meters).
TPAO and ExxonMobil intend to collaborate to merge skills and operational
abilities during the development and production phases. Seismic acquisition
and evaluation programs for the two blocks are currently being operated by
TPAO and are scheduled for completion in 2009. Assignment of the interest
to ExxonMobil by TPAO is subject to Turkish government approval.
"ExxonMobil is pleased to team up with TPAO to explore the hydrocarbon potential
of these deepwater Black Sea blocks," said Tim Cejka, president of ExxonMobil
Exploration Company. "We look forward to bringing our global deepwater experience
to this prospective unexplored area."
Mehmet Uysal, president and CEO of TPAO, said, "Together, TPAO and ExxonMobil
have all the tools required to fully evaluate the potential of these blocks
and safely develop whatever commercial quantities of oil and gas we discover.
We look forward to working together on an aggressive exploration program
to see what we can find."
ExxonMobil affiliates are currently exploring for hydrocarbons in deepwater
locations around the world, including offshore Angola, Brazil, Canada, Greenland,
Ireland, Indonesia, Libya, Madagascar, Nigeria, The Philippines and the United
States.
ExxonMobil affiliates or predecessor companies have been operating in Turkey
for more than 100 years. Today, ExxonMobil's presence in Turkey includes
a lubes blending plant in Istanbul as well as finished lubricants, aviation
fuels and marine fuels sales in important markets throughout the country.
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Turkey's Thrace basin gas
to flow in 2009
By OGJ editors HOUSTON, Aug. 13
A group led by Incremental Petroleum Ltd., Perth, plans to start gas production
in mid-2009 from the Edirne license in the Thrace basin northwest of Istanbul.
Turkish authorities granted the group a wholesale license that allows gas
sales to the national grid, and the group awarded contracts for the design
and engineering of a gas processing plant and pipeline.
Uhde Shedden of Australia won the gas plant contract, and Boral of Turkey
will design and route the pipeline. Uhde designed the plant for Zorlu, formerly
Amity, field 70 km from Edirne.
The joint venture of Incremental, operator with 55% interest, Otto Energy
Ltd., Perth, 35%, and Petrako Energy 10%, has made six new field gas discoveries
on the license since 2004.
The joint venture will be Turkey's first to produce and sell onshore gas
into the Botas gas distribution network. It will be able to sell gas anywhere
in the country at the best price it can negotiate. The current Botas price
is about $14.70/Mcf.
Incremental is also involved in an oil and gas exploration project on 30,000
acres in the Tuz Golu basin south of Ankara.
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Turkey: Otto Flows Gas; Kuze Arpaci-1- Edirne,
Otto Energy 6/4/2008
Otto Flows Gas from Second Well - Kuzey Arpaci-1 Edirne, Western Turkey
Joint venture partners Otto Energy and Incremental Petroleum announced that
the Kuzey Arpaci-1 well has tested at excellent flow rates from a tested
section of only 5m in the lower reservoir.
Highlights:
# Kuzey Arpaci-1 flowed dry gas at a rate of 1.15 MMscf/d over the interval
462.8m to 467.5m at a stabilized rate of 1.15 MMscfg/d through a 1/2 inch
choke.
# Another, shallower reservoir section is also present in this well and will
be available for future production.
# This is the second confirmed commercial flow rate from the Edirne discovery
wells.
Following the shut in period additional perforations will be added and the
well will be flowed again and prepared as a future production well. The
rig will then move to test the Arpaci 1 well, which was drilled in January
2006, before the 3D seismic was available.
Partners in the Edirne Gas project are Otto Energy with 35% and Joint Operators
Incremental Petroleum (55%) and Petraco Energy (10%). |
Turkey Otto Hits Pay Dirt at Arpaci-2
Otto Energy 5/15/2008
Joint venture partners Otto Energy Limited and Incremental Petroleum have
announced that their fourth well in their current drilling program has encountered
gas in the uppermost primary objective of the well.
The Arpaci-2 well encountered gas while drilling into the uppermost of the
reservoir targets around 169 meters. Due to the high pressures and substantial
mud losses in the wellbore, the well has been plugged back and will be redrilled
with an amended casing and drilling mud program to accommodate the high gas
pressures. While the new well cellar is being prepared, the rig will now
commence an extensive testing program of earlier gas discoveries before returning
to redrill Arpaci-2 in a few weeks time.
The partners in the Erdine Gas project are Otto Energy with 35%, Incremental
Petroleum with 55%, and Turkish partner and Joint Operator Petraco with the
remaining 10%.
"It is pleasing that we are continuing our string of successful gas discoveries
in Turkey," Otto CEO Alex Parks said. "Due to the Joint Venture's priority
commitment to safety, the decision was made to plug and cement the current
wellbore and to redrill with an amended casing program to counter the high
pressures encountered in this shallow gas reservoir."
"These small gas fields are relatively close together and can be developed
through a central development hub. We look forward to commercializing these
discoveries as soon as possible."
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Tethys
Petroleum's Exploration Well AKK14 Tests Over 13 MMcf/d
Tethys Petroleum 4/2/2008
Tethys Petroleum Ltd AKK14 two intervals 13.3 MMcfpd highest rate
The AKK14 well was drilled in the central part of the Akkulka Block on a
separate prospect between the AKK13 and AKK04 discoveries and targeted both
the Kyzyloi Sand interval (the productive reservoir in Tethys' nearby Kyzyloi
Field) and the deeper Tasaran Sand interval. To date the Tasaran has not
been deemed to be productive in the area and most of the older shallow gas
wells have not targeted this interval. However analysis of the seismic data
acquired by Tethys last year over the area and subsequent processing to highlight
possible gas bearing zones, led Tethys to drill the AKK14 well not only to
explore this new Kyzyloi structure but also the Tasaran as a secondary target
a this location.
The well reached a total depth of 2,152 feet having encountered the top of
the Tasaran Sand at 1,985 feet and the Kyzyloi Sand at 1,608 feet. Evaluation
of the wireline log data indicated that gas was present in both zones and
as such two separate production tests were carried out on the well.
The Tasaran Sand interval flowed gas at a stabilised rate of 7.5 MMcf/d (212
Mcm/d) with a flowing tubing head pressure (FTHP) of 163 psig (11.1 atm)
on a 76/64ths inch (30 mm) choke. The Kyzyloi Sand interval flowed gas at
a stabilised rate of 5.8 MMcf/d (164 Mcm/d) with an FTHP of 152 psig (10.4
atm) on a 76/64ths inch choke. Further work will be required to ascertain
the extent of the deposit.
This is the first commercial discovery of gas made in the Tasaran Sand in
the area and opens up a new play over the Company's Akkulka and Kul-Bas Blocks.
The Tasaran is made up of several units of thick (up to 20 feet), blocky,
medium grained sandstones and are more conventional reservoirs than the generally
thinner and finer grained overlying Kyzyloi sandstone unit. In the light
of the Tasaran test Tethys is re-examining existing seismic and in conjunction
with revised petrophysics has outlined several potential untested Tasaran
zones in older wells, as well as new leads, which will form part of the focus
for further exploration for this play within Akkulka and Kul-Bas areas later
in the year.
"This is a exciting discovery - our most successful well to date! Not only
have we continued to discover gas in our primary Kyzyloi target, we have
now opened up gas potential in a whole new reservoir with considerable upside,"
Dr David Robson, chairman, president and CEO. "The decision to acquire more
seismic over the Akkulka and Kul-Bas areas has resulted in a more comprehensive
set of data, the results of which we are now seeing through the drill-bit
and this discovery opens up a new high potential play in our acreage. Recent
announcements by GazProm that they will pay European prices for Central Asian
gas means higher prices in the region in 2009, which should directly benefit
us when our phase two development comes on production in Q4 2008, and with
further development of new discoveries such as the new Tasaran gas play."
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Shah Deniz Gas Going to Turkey
Statoil 7/5/2007
Gas from the Shah Deniz field in Azerbaijan is now flowing to Turkey for
the first time.
"This is a milestone for Statoil's international production, sale and marketing
of gas from Azerbaijan," says Jan Heiberg, vice president for the group's
gas operations in Azerbaijan. "It is also a special day for Statoil as AGSC's
operator in that all buyers of Shah Deniz gas are now taking gas," he says.
BP operates the Shah Deniz field in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian
Sea where Statoil has a 25.5% interest. Statoil is responsible for sale of
phase one Shah Deniz gas, as operator for the AGSC.
Azerbaijan and Georgia already receive
gas from the field, while the bulk of Shah Deniz gas is sold to Turkey.
Volumes are transported through the new South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP). The
gas pipeline is 690 kilometers long and follows the same route as the Baku
Tbilisi Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline as far as the border between Georgia and
Turkey. First transport through the SCP began in the autumn of 2006.
The Turkish company Botas, buyer of the gas in Turkey, takes over transport
responsibility at the Turkish border. A new pipeline has been constructed
as far as the city of Erzurum, linking in with the existing Turkish gas grid.
Shah Deniz is a large gas and condensate field in an international perspective.
According to the operator, phase one at peak production will have an output
of around 8.6 billion cubic meters of gas annually.
Licensees in the Shah Deniz Exploration, Development and Production Sharing
Agreement (EDPSA) are operator BP with a 25.5% interest, Statoil (25.5%),
the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic, Socar (10%), LUKoil (10%),
Nico (10%), Total (10%) and TPAO with 9%.
The AGSC is owned by operator Statoil with a 20.4% interest, BP (20.4%),
the Ministry of Industry and Energy of the Azerbaijan Republic (20%), LUKOIL
(8%), Nico (8%), Socar (8%), Total (8%) and TPAO (7.2%).
BP is technical operator of the SCP with a 25.5% interest. Other licensees
are Statoil, which is commercial operator with a 25.5% interest, Azerbaijan
SCP Ltd (10%), LUKIOL (10%), Nico (10%), Total (10%) and TPAO (9%). The Ministry
of Industry and Energy of the Azerbaijan Republic is a non-funding shareholder.
Statoil also has an 8.56% interest in the Azeri Chirag Gunashli (ACG) oil
field in Azerbaijan, in which Chirag was brought on stream early in 1997.
In total the field produces nearly 700,000 barrels per day. |
