JV AZGERNEFT INTRODUCED ECOLOGICALLY PURE "KNOW-HOW"

November 11 presentation of the new equipment on pollution decontamination of petroleum pipes was held in the industrial platform of the JV AzGerNeft. Acting at the presentation general director of the JV AzGerneft Chingiz Isayev noted that today the enterprise produces 165 tons of petroleum per day under the scheduled level of 87 tons.

From the moment the JV AzGerneft was established (February 1, 1995) the fund of operational wells was 337 wells. Total area of the JV created by the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan and German company Grunewald International on the basis of 7th field of the OGPM "Balakhani-petroleum" to rehabilitate the deposit "Ramana" makes 662 ha. After the new equipment was introduced and most experienced experts were involved production of the JV from the moment of establishment made 479 644 tones, which exceeds the planned volume by 112 779 tons. In the opinion of Isayev, JV partners understand that achievements of the enterprise are direct results of the new petroleum strategy of Azerbaijan, whose author is the ex-president of the Azerbaijan Republic Heydar Aliyev.

This time JV received new equipment from the German partner as investments. Isayev assured that involvement of advanced technologies in Azerbaijan oil fields will continue also next year. As emphasized the head of the JV, "the received equipment allows to get rid of the problem well known to all the Azeri oilmen - it clears inside the pipes used in the petroleum industry from paraffin, sand, salt etc.". This installation is very important for the JV, as about 20% of the enterprise expenses are directed on pipe replacement.

"Today the JV has 16 compressor wells, by means of which 51% of the JV petroleum is produced and new and very expensive pipes on these wells work a maximum 6-8 months, which causes their next replacement", - emphasized head of the JV AzGerNeft. Therefore it was also decided to address to the German party with request to solve this problem. The work on this equipment took about one year, it was tested in the laboratory in Germany, JV experts were acquainted with work of installation. The installation was then tested on the wells of Germany and result - today the equipment is in Baku. Cost of the unit makes about 150 thousand Euro. "Generally, we are pleased with work of this plant", - summarized Isayev.

As partner of the JV AzGerNeft from the part of Germany, president of the company Grunewald International Enrich Grunewald emphasized that "delivery of this equipment is only beginning of investments of the company, this is the start of future progress. Our relations with the JV recent years have resulted in performance of the program we conceived some years ago".

Mr. Grunewald considers recently the tendency of business development in Azerbaijan has amplified, and the attitude of state bodies in relation to foreign investors appreciably improved. In this connection, the company Grunewald International works on involvement of the German companies to work in Azerbaijan, and not only in petroleum sector of the country.

As to the direct participation of the company Grunewald International in other projects realized in Azerbaijan, presently the company requested information on ecological programs of the World Bank for the countries of eastern block. "Our basic purpose is to develop transnational ecological projects. The company works in this direction with the embassy of Germany in Azerbaijan to participate in their realization", - Mr. Grunewald emphasized.

By terms of the contract, in future the JV AzGerNeft should hand over the contract area the way it has received. However, Mr. Grunewald considers, "we wish to hand it over in a better state. In other words, we want to show that it can be better".

Concerning the equipment transferred to balance of the JV, Mr. Grunewald said the following: "Depth of the wells in the deposit "Ramana" reaches 2300 meters. We began to seek methods of struggle with pipe pollution. However, chemical treatment causes irreparable harm to ecology. For this reason we have agreed with the company Hammelmann on delivery of the completely new, ecologically perfect equipment. Taking into account that purchase of 1 ton of pipes costs approximately $1 thousand, the JV AzGerNeft wins both financially, and from the ecological point of view from purchase of new installation".

Acting at the presentation director general of the company International Consulting Services (ICS) GmbH Michael Dechner having presented this production device of the company Hammelmann showed the program, which allows to save means of firm. He at once emphasized that the system has various ways of application, but stopped on the field of activity most concerning oilmen.

Interestingly the new system is based on use of water under high pressure, which allows clearing hard-polluting pipe of various impurities. Basic elements of this unit are pump and engine. The pump works under high pressure to clear hard-polluting pipe. The unit in the craft in "Ramana" works under pressure of 1 thousand bars. Mr. Dechner emphasized there are also other units working under the pressure of 2-3 thousand bar, which allows the company to quickly react to the degree of pipes pollution. The device engine works in the pump-dependent regime. To insure it from bad weather and easy move the unit is covered with case on top.

M. Dechner described work of the unit in two examples. In the first case the 220-mm diameter pipe was polluted with salt and tracing paper. These pollutions are very firm and form very quickly. Despite of severe requirements M. Dechner said the task was achieved and showed the pipe after treatment.

Before getting the given JV AzGerneft equipment skilled samples of pipes with various degrees of pollution were brought to the German laboratory. After researches the conclusion was submitted how to achieve the best result. Opportunities of the lab allow guaranteeing the buyers successful settlement of their problems with further involvement of investments appropriate to requirements of the client, - Mr. Dechner noted. The protocol covering all the parameters, including pressure and capacity was drawn on results of the lab experiment. Having shown how far the pipe treatment from Baku was effective Dechner noted that these pipes were polluted with sand and salts with touch of petroleum. It testifies the pollution is not so rigid as with salt and tracing paper. As a result the decision is adopted that in case with Baku pipes it is possible to work at installation capacity of 1 thousand bar, and nozzle should consist of 3 parts. The fore-nozzle submits water jet in the direction of device movement, second part submits a quickly rotating jet, and third part of the nozzle is intended to submit water jet back. This device was selected and recommended to the JV management after testing all ways of application of the unit.

According to Dechner, there are different ways of using the unit, but the nozzle and porting sizes in them are of great importance. For instance, the unit may be applied for paint cleaning and other soiling of concrete surfaces, vessels, building elevations, and tanks. Each method of unit application needs individual approach. Thus, another nozzle must be applied under tank treatment named "pistol", and also regulate the unit capacity. Also interestingly, the pipe treatment may be conducted directly in the well.

The unit uses pure water at treatment without application of any reagents. 100 meters of pipes are cleaned in an hour. The pipes heat up to 40 degrees of Celsius at treatment.

As to the safety engineering, the device must not be directed to human being in working condition. Basically, worker suit including special helmet, mask and headphones withstand pressure up to 110 bar. The device is mobile, may be hitched on the water cistern and easily transported to the point of destination.

INFORMATION:

8 oil-and-gas production workshops are acting in the JV AzGerNeft. They include - the workshop for underwater repair and pullout of wells, workshop for oil-and-gas production, compressor workshop, transportation workshop, repair and engineering field, network area field, oil gathering and filling point and management personnel.