BP-led Shah Deniz consortium has launched an advanced subsea construction vessel, Khankendi, to support the Shah Deniz Stage 2 project.
The $378m subsea construction vessel has been developed to install the subsea production system in the Caspian Sea, as part of the Shah Deniz Stage 2 project.
Khankendi was constructed by Baku Shipyard, a joint venture of SOCAR, the Azerbaijan Investment Company (AIC) and Keppel O&M.
The vessel will be used to carry out installation and construction work over the next 11 years.
With a total weight of 17,600 tonnes, Khankendi vessel features 155m length, 32m width and 2000m² of deck space.
The subsea vessel, which has a carrying capacity of 5,000 metric tonnes at 6.5 metres draft, includes two engine rooms with 6 x 4.4MW and 2 x 3.2MW generators.
Khankendi is installed with dynamic positioning to enable working in 3.5m significant wave height, as well as main crane that can place 750 tonne subsea structures down to 600m below sea level.
The vessel also includes an 18-man two-bell diving system, two work-class ROVs and strengthened moon pool. It can perform complex activities without the support of anchors.
Khankendi holds capacity to carry around 175 people, including the marine crew and discipline specialists.
BP Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey regional president Gary Jones said: “We are proud to deliver this complex and truly multi-functional vessel, capable of installing the latest subsea production technology in the Caspian as part of the giant Shah Deniz Stage 2 project.”
Shah Deniz Stage 2 or full field development (FFD) project is expected to add further 16 billion cubic meters per year (bcma) of gas production to the 9 bcma produced by Shah Deniz Stage 1.
Shah Deniz gas field is claimed to be the largest natural gas field in Azerbaijan. It is situated in the South Caspian Sea, off the coast of Azerbaijan, approximately 70 kilometres (43 mi) southeast of Baku, at a depth of 600 metres (2,000 ft).
Shah Deniz consortium includes BP, Statoil, SOCAR, Total, Lukoil, NICO and TPAO.