First gas from Absheron field in Caspian Sea expected by 2029

The first natural gas production from the Absheron field, located in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea, is scheduled to begin on September 1, 2029, AzerNEWS reports via Total Energies.

According to the company, the Financial Investment Decision for the project is expected to be issued in July this year.

“The Absheron gas and condensate field is situated approximately 100 kilometers southeast of Baku. The first stage of development, the Initial Production Scheme (IPS), involves connecting the single ABD-001 well via a 35-kilometer subsea pipeline to a platform in shallow waters near SOCAR’s existing Oil Rocks facilities. This phase is designed to deliver long-term maximum production of 36,000–39,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, including 4.2 million cubic meters of gas and 12,800 barrels of condensate. Gas and liquids will be separated on the IPS platform and then transferred to the Oil Rocks facilities for processing, storage, and export,” Total Energies said.

The company added that produced water will be reinjected into the Neft Dashlari formations. First production from the field was announced in July 2023. Following this, partners launched the Initial Technical Design in early 2025 for full-scale development.

The second phase of the field’s development is expected to add up to 110,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day during peak production. It includes three deepwater wells connected to new onshore facilities in the Sangachal area via a 140-kilometer multiphase subsea pipeline. Peak daily gas production in this phase is expected to reach 12.7 million cubic meters, with 35,000 barrels of condensate produced daily in addition to first-stage output.

Discovered by Azerbaijani geologists in the 1960s, the Absheron field holds an estimated 350 billion cubic meters of gas, making it the second-largest in the Caspian Sea after the Shah Deniz field. A contract for its development was signed between SOCAR and Total in 2009, and on August 4, 2023, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) agreed to acquire a 30% stake in the project. Upon completion, SOCAR and Total Energies will each hold 35% of the field.