According to the source, the completion of the tender procedure for construction work under the project "Shah Deniz-2" will be in January 2014, which will be the basis for the signing of contracts with the major contractors.

"In turn, after determining contractors, they will start preparation for the beginning of construction work," - said the source.

Construction works within the second stage of Shah Deniz are to start in July 2014.

Plans on the project include the construction of two new sea platforms joined through the bridge, the drilling of 26 underwater wells with two semi-submersible drilling rigs, the construction of a 500 kilometer long underwater pipeline at 550 meters of depth, the enlargement of the Sangachal terminal for the creation of supplementary opportunities for exports in Azerbaijan and Georgia.

The contract to develop the offshore Shah Deniz field was signed on June 4, 1996.

Participants to the agreement are: BP (operator) - 25.5 per cent, Statoil - 25.5 per cent, NICO - 10 per cent, Total - 10 per cent, Lukoil - 10 per cent, TPAO - nine per cent and SOCAR - 10 per cent.

Gas which will be extracted within the second stage of the field development will be exported to Turkey (6 billion cubic meters) and Europe (10 billion cubic meters).

More about: