BP, a leading oil company, has achieved a significant milestone by completing the intricate installation of a colossal 19,600-tonne topsides unit onto a jacket in the Caspian Sea, situated offshore Azerbaijan. The substantial topsides component was meticulously constructed by Azfen at the Bayil fabrication yard, utilizing local infrastructure and resources.

The meticulously crafted topsides unit commenced its journey from the yard on a barge, reaching its destination at the BP-operated Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli field last week. The successful installation marked the culmination of an intricate engineering feat.

This monumental unit was seamlessly integrated atop the ACE (Azeri Central East) platform jacket, which had been positioned at its offshore location since March, settled in a water depth of 137 meters.

Remarkably, the platform will be orchestrated remotely from the Sangachal terminal, according to Gary Jones, BP's regional president for Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye. He noted that this groundbreaking approach represents a first for the company's Caspian operations.

Jones conveyed that the subsequent phases involve several months dedicated to offshore hook-up and commissioning endeavors. This effort aims to enable BP to initiate drilling activities at the platform's first production well, with the aspiration of commencing ACE's initial oil production in early 2024.

The ACE topsides unit is an intricate amalgamation encompassing facilities for oil and gas processing, an integrated drilling rig, a gas compressor, and living accommodations.

The ACE development unfolds as a novel 48-slot platform, integrating production, drilling, and quarters functionalities. Strategically positioned between the pre-existing Central Azeri and East Azeri platforms, the development is immersed in a water depth of approximately 140 meters.

This comprehensive initiative also encompasses the establishment of new infield pipelines, facilitating the transfer of oil and gas from the ACE platform to the pre-existing ACG Phase 2 oil and gas export pipelines, ultimately transporting resources to the onshore Sangachal terminal.

Further enhancing the network, a water injection pipeline interlinks the East Azeri and ACE platforms, ensuring the supply of injection water from the Central Azeri compression and water injection platform to the ACE facilities.

The ACE platform's robust infrastructure is engineered to process up to an impressive 100,000 barrels of oil per day. Over the course of its operational lifetime, this project is poised to contribute to the production of up to 300 million barrels.