BP announces start date for seismic exploration at Shah Deniz field

BP intends to carry out a long-term seismic survey program at the Shah Deniz field covering the years 2026–2035, Report informs, citing BP-Azerbaijan.

Seismic operations in the contract area of the field are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.

The surveys will be conducted in the Shah Deniz contract area, located about 80 km south-southwest of the seismic exploration zone of the Ashrafi–Dan Ulduzu–Aypara (ADUA) prospect structure block. The work at Shah Deniz will not be carried out simultaneously with the planned 2D seismic survey at the ADUA block or seismic studies at the Karabagh field.

ADUA project's seismic program envisages two-dimensional high-resolution (HR) seismic exploration. The work will be short-term, lasting up to 20 days in a 12-hour work regime or up to 10 days in continuous mode. Seismic exploration will cover a small area in the northwest of the ADUA block and is planned to be conducted between February and April 2026 at depths of 20–40 meters.

BP began seismic exploration at the Karabagh field in Azerbaijan's sector of the Caspian Sea in December 2025. The program consists of two stages: seismic surveys using Ocean Bottom Nodes (OBN), and high-resolution (HR) and ultra-high-resolution (UHR) seismic acquisition. The first stage is expected to last up to 3.5 months, at depths of 140–200 meters. HR/UHR surveys, lasting up to 45 days, are scheduled for March–April 2026.

The current share distribution in the Shah Deniz contract is as follows: BP (operator – 29.99%), LUKoil (19.99%), TPAO (19%), NICO (10%), Southern Gas Corridor CJSC (16.02%), and MVM (5%).

Gas and condensate production at the field is currently carried out under Stage 1 from the Shah Deniz Alpha platform and under Stage 2 from the Shah Deniz Bravo platform. Gas production began in December 2006.