SOCAR-AQS joins World Drilling Congress

Recently, IADC World Drilling Conference and Exhibition 2012 took place in Barcelona, Spain. Main purpose of this conference and exhibition, which brought together over 450 participants, was exchange of new ideas within drilling technology development, new management methods and discussions around drilling market trends.

A number of presentations were given by different companies during the conference. Presentation by SOCAR-AQS, titled "Achieving First-class Safety and Efficiency Performance in Mature Fields: Case of Shallow Water Gunashli Field in the Caspian” was well received by conference participants and key messages of the presentation became topics of further discussion.

Primary objective of the presentation by SOCAR-AQS was to inform the conference participants about world-class achievements within safety and efficiency in drilling operations in mature field - Shallow Water Gunashli (SWG) field in the Caspian. The presentation told the story of improvement initiatives and successful results of SOCAR-AQS, specifically created to bring modern drilling technologies, management methods and highest standards to Azerbaijani drilling industry. SOCAR-AQS was envisaged to become an integrated drilling and well services management company and it first started its activities on SWG field. During the presentation it was emphasized that drilling was not a new trade for Azerbaijanis and Azerbaijan was a cradle of world drilling industry. Azerbaijani drillers pioneered many firsts in the history of world drilling industry. However, isolation from world's leading technology development centers and lack of attention and investment during the last years of Soviet times and in the years that immediately followed the regaining of state independence, left Azerbaijani drilling industry in outdated and dilapidated state. When SOCAR-AQS started drilling operations in 2008, drilling infrastructure and equipment were old, outdated and in a very bad state of repair. There were virtually no standards, no procedures and no guidelines. Workforce was demoralized and untrained. Leadership of SOCAR-AQS followed two-tier approach in handling the complex task it faced: first, to mobilize of all available resources to drill and deliver wells to the customer; and second, to develop organizational and individual capacity to become competitive worldwide. Company's Vision, Mission, Core Values and Motto were developed by workforce itself. Problems and opportunities were identified by involving all relevant stakeholders and employees. The presentation later informed the conference participants about the progress achieved by the company in such critically important spheres as: rehabilitation and upgrade of the existing infrastructure, application of new technologies and methods of management in the drilling process, training of personnel, implementation of the integrated management system and implementation of API standards in the company. Successful results of these initiatives were summarized in HSE Pyramid, NPT Charts and Commercial Drilling Speed Chart. At the end of the presentation it was emphasized that SOCAR-AQS, in line with its motto - Proud Heritage, Continuous Improvement - is committed to continuous improvement and aspires to become a leading international drilling and well services contractor.

Other messages brought by the speaker to the audience in his presentation were aimed at informing the conference participants about glorious past of Azerbaijani drilling industry, about the role that Azerbaijani drillers played in opening up of oil and gas potential in various parts of the world, and to inform industry leaders about huge oil and gas potential of Azerbaijan and bright prospects of drilling industry in Azerbaijan.

During their stay in Barcelona, the representatives of SOCAR-AQS visited the exhibition, where over 40 drilling industry companies presented various types of new drilling services and products. The visit resulted in establishing new business relationships with a number of leading companies, thus laying foundation for future mutually beneficial cooperation. It should be noted that SOCAR-AQS was the only company representing Azerbaijan at the World Drilling Congress, which lasted 2 days, gathering 450 participants from 36 countries.
    
SOCAR-AQS has been a contractor member of the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) since June 2009. At present, cooperation between the two organizations is successfully developing at various levels. Participation in various events organized by IADC creates opportunities to the employees of our company to learn from, to exchange ideas about the best drilling practices and technologies, with subsequent implementation of these novelties in the operations of SOCAR-AQS.


SOCAR-AQS LLC was established as an integrated drilling and well services management company between the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (51%) and Absheron Drilling Company (49%) in 2007. Main scope of activities of the company is provision of work and services related with drilling of oil and gas wells, including: well design and planning; drilling of oil and gas wells; drilling of directionally deviated wells; drilling of horizontal wells; well completion; well workover; sidetracking and drilling of multilateral wells.

Currently, SOCAR-AQS performs drilling works with 3 rigs located on 2 stationary platforms on Shallow Water Gunashli field.


/Today.Az/