Yesterday SOCAR’s Baku Shipyard plant and BP-Azerbaijan company signed the contract to build the multi-functional vessel, which will be used for development of the Shah-Deniz Phase 2 project.
The contract worth $378 million was signed by BP-Azerbaijan President Gordon Birrell and Baku Shipyard Executive Director David Lox for the period of 36 months.
SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev said at the signing ceremony that the project for construction of the new vessel in the Caspian Sea, would have been impossible without SOCAR’s new plant, which was put into operation in September 2013. Abdullayev said that several big projects could be implemented simultaneously if the shipyard is available. Abdullayev added that the plant will also manufacture the lower structures of the new floating drilling rig, which is created to satisfy SOCAR’s needs.
Gordon Birrell said that the vessel will allow accommodating the underwater equipment and installations. Birrell also added that considering growing business of the company in the region, in the future BP will use the plant’s services in construction of new vessels.
Baku Shipyard is a joint venture between SOCAR (65%), Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC 25%) and Singaporean Keppel Offshore & Marine (10%).
