The international oil agreement on exploration, development and production sharing of Azeri, Chyrag and Gunashli (deepwater) fields signed on September 20, 1994 in Baku under the leadership of National Leader of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev came down into modern history as the Contract of the Century and became the basis of the oil-gas strategy of Azerbaijan. Implementation of the oil-gas strategy of Azerbaijan turned the country into a regional economic leader, one of the guarantors of the global energy security. “Nowadays, it is impossible to introduce any certain economic or political projects in the region without participation of our country, that is an indicator of growing influence of Azerbaijan in the region”, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev says. 

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) is implementing projects of regional and global importance, making big contribution to the development of the economy. Owing to new geological discoveries and operation of new fields, the reserves of energy resources of the country are growing as well as the export potential. 

Based on Azerbaijan Republic President’s decree #539 dated March 7, 2009 and envisaging amendments into the earlier presidential decree #844 dated January 24, 2003 “on modernization of the structure of the Azerbaijan Republic State Oil Company”, and SOCAR’s order #51 dated March 12, 2007, the Complex Drilling Works Trust was created for successful continuation of work in this direction. 

There are 6 production units currently operating within Complex Drilling Works Trust (Bulla-March 8 – Umid, Guneshli, Oil Stones, Garadagh-Galmaz, Absheron and Siyazan), Gazmaservis and Logistics production unit, Plugging and warehousing unit. 

The team of the Complex Drilling Works Trust performed onshore and offshore drilling to the extent of 76,280m within 7months of 2014. The Trust commenced drilling of 47 wells during January-July. The drilling work was completed on 42 wells which were passed to the customer. 

By using techniques and technologies meeting international standards the Complex Drilling Works Trust performs drilling of prospecting and operating wells at such onshore and offshore areas of the country as Guba-Khazaryany petroliferous region (PR), Absheron PR, Ashaghy Kuryany PR, Shamakhy-Gobustan PR, Nakhchivan PR, at 25 SOCAR-owned fields located offshore Baku and at the Absheron archipelago. 

In order to conduct exploratory drilling aimed at maintenance of stable oil production in the republic, the Trust tightly cooperates with SOCAR departments which possess big scientific potential (Oil-Gas science-research project institute, Department for Information Technologies and Communication, Department for Geophysics and Geology, etc). 

Together with other domestic drilling organizations, the Complex Drilling Works Trust’s newly created Gazmaservis and Logistics Unit, which provides full-range services, performs well repair, construction, drilling of directional wells and is intended to be integrated into the overseas drilling services in the future. 

Only 7 years have passed since when the Complex Drilling Works Trust was established and despite this it has some important achievements. The trust performed drilling work on Bulla-Deniz, Goshadash, Jahandar, Turkan, Beyimdagh-Tekchay, Pirallahi Island, the sites in Muradkhanly, and successfully fulfilled the exploration agenda set by SOCAR. The result was a discovery of the Umid gas-condensate field. Drilling works on platform #1 on the Umid field were performed by means of the cutting-edge ZJ 70/4500DZ top-drive drilling rig, which is the latest achievement of drilling men that was purchased in the USA and China and meets the up-to-date technical and technological requirements.  This project currently performed on the Umid field, is one of the important facilities on the gas programme. This platform is the first unique facility that the Azerbaijan oilmen erected in the national sector of the Caspian Sea on their own. Azəri Mİ together with Drilling Fluids LTD is implementing drilling work on the well, using oil-based mud QKAH, and LWD/MWD/PWD telemeter measuring devices of Schlumberger. 

Drilling work on the first exploration well was launched from platform #122 on Bulla-Deniz field on April 22. The opening ceremony was attended by SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev and other representatives of the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The drilling of exploration well #1 from the Khazar-6 floating drilling rig on the Aghburun-Deniz site has been also completed. 

The Complex Drilling Works Trust continues drilling works on the Gunashli field. Drilling works are now in process on platforms #8, 10, 14 and 19 on wells# 34, 341, 343 and 37 respectively. Drilling of 20 projected wells on platform #7 will be commenced in the end of the current year. On August 14, 2014 well#343 drilled from the deepwater offshore fixed platform #14 was handed over to the field men with the high output estimated 100 tonnes of oil and 14,000 cubic metres of gas. The Complex Drilling Works Trust’s staff also continues drilling work on platforms #1887, 2585, 2521, 2150 and 418А on the Neft Dashlary field. 

With a view to upgrade the equipment SOCAR has purchased Chinese-made ZJ-50, ZJ-70 and ZJ-40 mobile drilling rigs for the Complex Drilling Works Trust. One of these mobile rigs will be used on Eldaroyugu site to drill an exploration well, and the other one will be involved in drilling operations nearby the Garadagh gas storage. 

New drilling rigs are completely automatic and environmentally safe. Important activities have been performed in recent years to meet the gas demand of the needs of population in the autumn/winter months. Consistent works are in process to expand the capacities of domestic Galmaz and Garadagh underground gas storages as provided by the agenda prepared by the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan. At present Azneft PU continues drilling of new wells on Galmaz and Garadagh sites. Under the special agenda that SOCAR worked out for this purpose, for 7 months of 2014 Azneft drilled and commissioned wells #469, 480 and 478 on the Garadagh site and wells #630 and 627 on the Galmaz site. Drilling of well#636 on the Galmaz site has been finalized and preparation for well’s development and testing is currently in process. Drilling of wells #482 and 483 in Garadagh will be commenced in the nearest future with the use of new equipment like ZJ-50 and ZJ-40. The Trust’s personnel, who are using brand-new equipment, up-to-date machinery and advanced technologies, will successfully continue exploration and production drilling, both onshore and offshore, up to the end of the 2014 year, mobilizing all existing capacities to that end.