Oil and gas transportation and export represents a priority task for the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan alongside their production and processing. For this very reason, the sphere of oil and gas transportation and export has been continuously modernized and renewed.
In line with the order of SOCAR management of 15 January 2013, the sections of main gas pipelines Absheron, Astara, Agdash, Agdam, Gazakh, Siyazan, Hajiqabul, functioning within the Azerigaz PU as the organizations without any legal status, as well as sections for protection of gas pipelines from corrosion, provision of energy supply and radio communication were entrusted to SOCAR Gas Export Department preserving existing organizational and legal forms. The main task was the effective management of SOCAR’s natural gas volumes and undertaking of respective technical, technological and metrological operations in line with the standard rules of transporting gas to energy corridors for its sale on domestic and external markets. Formation of a new structure uniting the sections of main gas pipelines within the SOCAR Gas Export Department has promoted creation of a unique effective system of managing the transportation of natural gas both within the country and the exportation system. Revenues from gas export will create conditions for reconstruction of main gas pipeline, renewal of morally outdated technological equipments, gas metering units, automatic control of processes and, most importantly, for reduction of gas losses while transportation process. This will also create financial opportunities for improvement of the main system of natural gas transportation to Russia, Georgia and Iran for execution of present contractual obligations, for construction of new gas pipelines, as well as for cleaning the inner surface of gas pipeline, replacement of gas distribution stations with the automatically controlled module-type stations, linear cranes with new ones.
SOCAR Gas Export Department plans to carry out large-scale operations for modernization and reconstruction of sections at main gas pipelines to provide the stable and safe supply of natural gas to the population and other consumers within the country, as well as to meet the growing demand for gas within the country. Work for reconstruction of the Garadagh, Hajiqabul and Siyazan compressor stations, automatic control systems of gas treating plant of the main facilities in Sangachal have already been launched. An additional compressing plant is envisaged to be installed there in order to raise productiveness of the Garadagh compressor station.
Gas metering units on Julfa gas metering knot of the Nakhchivan AR, Azadkand on Astara-Gazimagomed main gas pipeline, on the Chukhuryurd point at the 43th kilometer of the Altiagaj-Agsu main gas pipeline, Garayazi, Garamusaly and Garamaryam points on Gazimagomed-Gazakh main gas pipeline will be reconstructed to provide more accurate metering of gas. A new gas metering unit will be built around crane D of the Garadag-Digah-Northern HEPS main gas pipeline.
According to the rules of technical operation of main gas pipelines, it is scheduled to hold reconstruction and construction of respective gas pipeline knots to ensure the periodical cleaning of their inner surface. Energy distribution line will be laid and 110 KV-voltage substation be built to the Hajiqabul compressor station.
The 35/10/0.4 KV substation will be built at the Siyazan compressor station. The 720 mm gas pipeline of 30 km will be laid between the New Garadagh GDS and GDS Khirdalan. Construction of a gas pipeline between GDS Gazanlar and GDS 30th section will be completed. A new gas pipeline line with a gas metering knot will be built between the sixth and eighth compressor stations of Balakhany Operating Company. The compressor station for reception of the full volume of low-pressure associated gas has already been completed on the Garabagly gas section of SalyanOil and ShirvanOil Operating Companies.
Considering the continuous period of operation of gas transportation system, this year it is planned to carry out the major repair of gas pipelines extending to 70 km and 59 gas distribution stations, installation of new container-type gas distribution stations and 40 stationary radio stations for gas distribution stations, replacement of 12 linear cranes with new ones, installation of 3 drainage facilities and 32 cathode stations for protection of main gas pipelines from corrosion. Considering the technical state of 1020 mm of the Gazimagomed-Gazakh pipeline which has been operated for a long period of time, this year it is planned to carry out major repair of 3.3 km section in the interval between 270-273.5 km and replace a line extending to 64 km between 114 and 138 km and 170-210 km. Major repair will also be carried out on the sections extending to 1.2 km between 41-21 km and 4 km between 17-26 of the Altiagaj-Agsu 1120 mm main gas pipeline, 12.1 km section of the 720 mm gas pipeline at the Mingachavir gas distribution station, 219-mm Zagatala-Balakan gas pipeline extending to 23.5, 22 km section of Azadkand-Imishli 530mm gas pipeline, 3.4 km line between sections 26-48 of 530 mm Yevlakh-Nakhchivan gas pipeline and other gas pipelines.
The overall implementation of these operations will renew the gas transportation system, ensure growing gas consumption, as well as the high-level execution of contractual conditions in the gas export sphere.
SOCAR is currently exporting Azerbaijan`s natural gas to Russia, Georgia, Turkey and Iran (swap operations). The agreement on natural gas sales and purchase between SOCAR and Gazprom Export foresees annual supply of 3 bln cubic meters of gas to Russia by the end of 2015. 1.5 bln cubic meters of gas were supplied to Russia in 2011, while in 2012 this volume reached 1.55 bln cubic meters. SOCAR also supplies natural gas to Georgia. In 2011, gas export to Georgia comprised 775 mln cubic meters while in 2012, this volume reached 993 mln cubic meters. It is expected to supply 1 bln cubic meters of gas to Georgia by the end of this year. Under the swap agreement with Iran signed for 20-year period, the annual gas export to this country makes 0.4 bln cubic meters. In its turn, Iran is transporting 0.3bln cubic meters of gas annually to meet the natural gas demands of the Nakhchivan AR. Stage of Shahdeniz project development ensured the stable and reliable annual supply of 1.67 bln cubic meters of gas to Azerbaijan, 0.8 bln cubic meters to Georgia and 6.6 bln cubic meters to Turkey beginning from 2007.
In the first half of 2013, the system of transportation of middle and high-pressure gas received 8,096 mln cubic meters of gas, including 1,210 mln cubic meters of associated gas supplied in line with the agreement between SOCAR and AIOC on the joint development and share distribution of production in Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli fields in the Caspian Azeri sector. 2,740 mln cubic meters of gas have been supplied from Shahdeniz field in line with the agreement on gas sale and purchase. 101 mln cubic meters of gas have been supplied in line with SOCAR’s agreements with joint enterprises and operating companies. The volume of gas supplied by the Department for operation of gas reservoirs and oil and gas producing departments of PU Azneft to the system of high and low-pressure gas transportation of SOCAR Gas Export Department amounted to 4,018 mln cubic meters in line with different sale and purchase and services agreements.
Of the overall gas volumes supplied to SOCAR Gas Export Department comprising 8,096 mln cubic meters, 2,539 mln cubic meters were transferred to Azerenerji, 1,063 mln cubic meters sent to underground gas reservoirs, 2,738 mln cubic meters to operating gas sections of Azerigas PU, 6,341 mln cubic meters to meet internal needs, 1,542 mln cubic meters were exported.
Of these, 879 mln cubic meters were exported to Russia, 446 mln cubic meters to Georgia, 217 mln cubic meters to Iran. Meanwhile, Iran supplied 179 mln cubic meters of gas to Nakhchivan.
International standards ISO 9001 (Quality management system), ISO 14001 (Environmental management system) and OHSAS 18001 (Labor Protection and Technical Security System) are currently being introduced to improve the quality of works, overhaul technical documentation and bring it into compliance with world standards. At the same time works are underway to extend certificates and the due audit is being held in this connection in all structural divisions of the department. The employees are regularly informed of all these operations, recommendations are given to address the revealed noncompliance in process of audit.
Issues of labor protection, security technique and environmental safety are constantly the focus of attention. All works in this direction are held in line with international standards, modern requirements and unique system of management of labor protection in Azerbaijan’s oil industry, as well as the environmental legislation of our country. Events for landscaping and greening were held during summer months at the administrative building of the department and other structural subdivisions and 4255 different sorts of trees and flowers were planted during this work. In order to improve labor conditions, individual means of protection were distributed, 2480 different warning signs, 450 environmental placards, nearly 700 magazines of 9 names and 470 books of 10 names were ordered thanks to the attention and care of the SOCAR management. 20 sets of fire fighting means have been purchased to ensure fire safety, 30 fire-fighting blankets, 1840 fire-extinguishers were sent to precincts after refueling. 10 snakebite serum and 10 fridges for their storage, 270 medicinal aids have also been purchased and sent to the precincts, 120 cases for first medical aid have also been ordered. In short, the security issues of our employees are of utmost importance for us.
Addressing social issues and creation of normal work conditions is a priority task of the department. Repair and construction works are primarily held at the administrative building of the department with this purpose. The workplaces are provided with essential tools, devices and equipment.
The canteen of the department is ensured with essential devices and employees are served hot meals every day. A bus has been allocated to deliver employees to workplaces and back. The department, jointly with the trade union, arranges 2-5-20-day trips to recreation areas and sanatoriums for the workers and their family members to ensure their rational leisure time. New changes have been introduced to staff agreements. Thus, the women who have children below 3 years of age are enjoying reduced (by 1 hour) workday, while pregnant women beginning from their 22nd week of pregnancy are provided with social leave on their own will or on the basis of a medical reference. The parents whose children go to school for the first time will be able to take one-day vacation in connection with the start of the new academic year. In the future, the Department will continue insistent and confident work in direction of improving working and material values as well as social and household conditions of our employees.
