Gas operations
The major task for the SOCAR Gas Export Department is rational management of SOCAR-owned gas volumes, ensuring gas sales in the domestic and foreign markets and to that end conducting technical and commercial operations in line with the requirements of the respective regulatory documents.
In January-July 2014 the Gas Export Department received 9,105 million cubic metres. Of this total 8,732 million cubic metres were transmitted directly to the gas pipeline system: 1,484 million cubic metres from ACG, 253 million cubic metres from operating companies, 5461.7 million cubic metres from Azneft PU and 1906 million cubic metres from Shah Deniz Consortium. The received volumes were supplied to consumers in the domestic and foreign markets.
Out of the received volumes, 3271.2 million cubic metres were supplied to Azerigaz PU, 2965.6 million cubic metres of gas to Azerenerji OJSC, 1359 million cubic metres to Azneft PU for injection into underground gas storages, 159.3 million cubic metres to the Russian Federation, 672.7 million cubic metres to Georgia. To meet the gas demand of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic 238.3 million cubic metres were handed to the Islamic Republic of Iran and under the gas exchange agreement Nakhchivan PU received 191.2 million cubic metres of gas.
Overhaul repair
Addressing the 18th International Oil and Gas Exhibition, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said: “At present Azerbaijan is building up its energy policy mainly on the gas factor”. These words have motivated us to more responsibly perform the work. To ensure stable and safe gas supply to the residential sector and other consumers of the country, large-scale works have been in process since the last year at the cost of revenues from gas exports to upgrade and renovate gas distribution areas of the main gas pipelines. The reason is that for SOCAR transportation and export of oil&gas are as important as their production and processing representing a priority task. That is why the gas distribution facilities regularly undergo upgrade and repair. A clear example of the result of taken measures is that the republic faced no problems with gas supply last winter. Now, along with additional activities, the Department shall perform scheduled repair and renovation works to prepare for autumn/winter months.
In particular, the Department performed capital repair of 3425rm of the 1,020-mm second line of the Gazi-Magomed-Gazakh main gas pipeline on the section 270-273.5 km, which then was connected to the gas supply system. A tap valve was installed on the section 307.9 km of this gas pipeline, one more valve was replaced by a new one. The Department also repaired the Garamusaly measuring knot of the second 1,220-mm line of the Gazi-Magomed-Gazakh main gas pipeline. Vehicle and railway crossings on the section 210km were replaced and connected to the gas supply system and a new 720-mm branch of the gas pipeline towards the Mingachevir gas measuring station (GMS) came on stream.
Major construction of 25,967rm of 1020x14mm pipeline was performed to repair the section 0-210 km of the first line of the Gazi-Magomed-Gazakh main gas pipeline.
Works are carried out with the use of brand-new technologies to increase reliability, safety and stability of gas distribution areas and systems.
To ensure reliable operation of the automatic control system of the Hajigabul compressor station, the contractor organisation commenced construction and assembly works to introduce a modern Mitsubishi powered system according to the working draft and all necessary devices and equipment were purchased for this purpose.
Modular gas distribution stations equipped with the full automatic production control system made by Romanian company Totalgaz Industries were installed at automatic gas-distributing stations (AGDS) Zabrat-1 and New Bina of the Absheron gas distribution area. These stations are equipped with odorizing plants OD 832 E operated in the automatic mode. To ensure operation of these plants, the working group of our Department consisting of 34 people passed required trainings and received certificates.
Turkish-made modular gas distribution stations equipped with the full automatic control system were installed on Ovchibar and Khyrmandaly gas distribution stations of Astara gas distribution area. These stations are equipped with odorizing plants Dağgaz DO-NG-4A operated in the automatic mode. To ensure operation of these plants, the working group of our Department consisting of 30 people passed required trainings.
In line with the contract between our Department and MAN Diesel & Turbo SE (Germany), specialists-manufacturers made technical inspection to check the turbine 202 – NG – 01B operated on the Garadagh compressor station after performance of 20,000 equivalent working hours. They also performed running maintenance of the main and service equipment.
Gas-measuring stations
Technical and metrological services are provided to metering equipment at sections of gas transportation system of the Gas Export Department, including on automatic gas distribution stations (AGDS), gas distribution stations (GDS), interstate gas measuring stations, gas measuring knots between main pipelines and on stations installed on other gas measuring points. In total 353 gas measuring knots with a diaphragm, and 270 measuring knots of industrial type, equipped with turbine and rotor flow meters undergo maintenance.
Construction of reserve measuring and bypass lines is now in process to ensure non-stop gas transportation via gas measuring knots installed on GDS.
30 gas measuring knots were reconstructed to bring the operation of gas measuring knots installed on Azerigaz PU-operated gas custody transfer and reception stations in compliance with the norms and specifications now applied in the country.
Azadkand, Jirdakhan and Garamusaly gas measuring knots between main pipelines underwent renovation for the purpose of due implementation of custody transfer operations on the gas distribution areas of the main pipeline system and exact calculation of natural gas losses. The Chukhuryurd gas measuring knot will be repaired in the near future and PS New Azerbaijan gas measuring knot, consisting of four measuring lines, is to come on stream to ensure stable gas supply to PS Azerbaijan LLC.
Flowing chromatographs were installed on the gas distribution areas of the main gas pipeline system to ensure accurate accounting.
Gas Export attaches big importance to arranging a high level functioning of the material-technical supplies base in terms of rational management of gas volumes. A new warehousing of the material and technical supplies base was created in order to supply the areas with devices and equipment meeting requirements of modern standards.
HSE
Health, safety and environment issues are always in the focus of attention. This work is carried out in compliance with the requirements of the “Single safety management system in the oil industry of Azerbaijan”, environmental legislation of the country and the international quality management system. In this regard, a plan of actions was prepared. Published were a total of 1200 enlightening booklets and 400 books “Instructions for unauthorized persons at an enterprise” which were distributed among departments and sections. The ecological monitoring office of the Environmental Department prepared the following normative documents: “Ecological passport”, “Limit of allowable emissions”, “Limit of allowable flow passage” including a “Plan of nomenclature activities aimed at improvement of health and labor conditions”. HSE knowledge of 103 employees has been tested since the beginning of the year.
Our department has once again been granted ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 certificates in order to raise the quality of work, improve technical documents and comply with the international standards.
International activity
Taking into account that SOCAR is the member of the Gas Centre of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, the employees of the Gas Export Department inserted information about the macroeconomic indicators of Azerbaijan and the activity of SOCAR into the data base of this centre.
On May 15-16, 2013 the Gas Export Department, coordinating the cooperation of the Gas Centre under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and SOCAR, held the 8th session of the Gas Centre Task Force on Supply, Infrastructure and Markets. Azerbaijan’s gas potential and SOCAR’s activity was emphasized at the event attended by representatives of delegations of 12 countries as well as well-known international energy analysts.
After the election of the TAP project as the export route to Europe on June 28, 2013, Shah Deniz consortium assessed the cost, volumes and other contract aspects whereupon 9 customers obtained the right for purchasing Shah Deniz II gas. Contracts on purchasing certain volumes for 25 years were signed on September 19, 2013 with the customers of Shah Deniz II gas to be supplied to the European markets via TAP.
At present, our staff is marking the 20th Contract of the Century with great inspiration. On behalf of our staff we are congratulating all the oil-gas industry workers on this jubilee and wishing them success in the forth coming work.
