Baku: BP is gearing up for a crucial final investment decision on the Shah Deniz Compression (SDC) project, as confirmed by Tamam Bayatly, BP's head of external communications for Azerbaijan. This development was reported by APA, indicating significant progress in the project planning phase.

According to Azeri-Press News Agency, the Environmental and Socio-Economic Impact Assessment (ESIA) document for the SDC project has received government approval. This approval marks a significant milestone, allowing BP to proceed with preparations for the final investment decision. Bayatly highlighted the importance of this step, emphasizing that the company is moving forward with the necessary preparations.

The project timeline indicates that the first gas production from the Shah Deniz Alpha (SDA) platform is expected by mid-2029, followed by the Shah Deniz Bravo (SDB) platform in mid-2030. The SDC project is set to include an electric unmanned compression platform, subsea gas pipelines for export and import between the existing SDA and SDB platforms, and an electric and fiber-optic cable (EFOC) for power supply and backup connection between SDC and SDB.

The new platform will function as the primary facility for gas compression and will be positioned approximately 3 kilometers from the SDB platform at a depth of 85 meters. Gas from the SDA and SDB platforms will be compressed at the SDC platform before being exported via existing pipelines to the Sangachal Terminal. Importantly, the project will utilize existing infrastructure at SDA, SDB, and the Sangachal Terminal, with no requirement for terminal area expansion, except for the installation of a new power reception and transmission unit.