Current state of exploration and development of oil and gas fields in the Caspian sea

   Background. The current state of exploration and development of oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea is considered.

   Aim. Identification of new engineering and technological features of exploration and development of oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea.

   Materials and methods. An analysis and typification of mining and geological conditions and parameters of oil and gas deposits, as well as traps and reservoirs, was carried out. The current state of oil and gas exploration and development in the Caspian Sea was assessed by statistical generalization and systematization of data and materials, partially borrowed from reference literature, stock sources, field data, and published works.

   Results. The conducted analysis revealed the main engineering and technological features of the current state of exploration and development of oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea. These include the creation of special hydraulic structures and floating technical equipment, taking harsh marine hydrometeorological conditions for drilling prospecting, exploration and production wells into account; drilling directional clusters of wells from individual stationary platforms, pier platforms, artificially created islands, jack-up-type and semi-submersible floating installations and other structures both above and below water; selection of a rational design and number of stationary platforms, pier platforms, floating production decks, and other structures for placing the optimum number of wells; creation of special engineering means and technological processes, as well as floating installations that ensure the protection of the marine environment during drilling operations, borehole operation and repair. The need for platforms in the Caspian Sea as a whole in the period until 2025 is estimated at 71–87 units.

1. Adams T. Caspian Hydrocarbons, Politicization of Regional Pipelines, and Destabilization of the Caucasus. Caucasian Regional Studies. 2000. No. 5 (In Russ.).

2. Afanasenkov A.P., Skvortsov M.B., Nikishin A.M. et al. Geological History and Oil Systems of the Northern Caspian. Bulletin of Moscow University. Geology Series. 2008. No. 3. pp. 3—9 (In Russ.).

3. Glumov I.F., Malovitsky Ya.P., Novikov A.A., Senin B.V. Regional Geology and Oil and Gas Potential of the Caspian Sea. Moscow: OOO Nedra-Business Center, 2004 (In Russ.).

4. Guliev I.S., Fedorov D.L., Kulakov S.I. Oil and Gas Potential of the Caspian Region. Baku: Nafta-Press, 2009 (In Russ.).

5. Senin B.V., Kerimov V.Yu., Bogoyavlensky V.I., et al. Oil and gas provinces of the seas of Russia and adjacent waters. Moscow: Nedra, 2020 (In Russ.).

6. Senin B.V., Khain V.E., Popkov V.I. Black Sea. In the book «Tectonics of the southern framing of the East European platform (explanatory note to the tectonic map of the Black Sea-Caspian region. Scale 1:2 500 000)». Krasnodar: KUBGU, 2009 (In Russ.).

7. Kerimov V., Rachinsky M., Mustaev R., Serikova U. Geothermal conditions of hydrocarbon formation in the South Caspian basin. Iranian Journal of Earth Sciences. 2018. No. 10(1). P. 78—89.

8. Kerimov V.Yu., Bondarev A.V., Mustaev R.N. Estimation of geological risks in searching and exploration of hydrocarbon deposits. Oil Industry. 2017. No. 8. P. 36—41.

9. Kerimov V.Yu., Mustaev R.N., Etirmishli G.D., Yusubov N.P. Influence of modern geodynamics on the structure and tectonics of the Black sea — Caspian region. Eurasian Mining. 2021. No. 35(1). P. 3—8.

10. Kerimov V.Yu., Mustaev R.N., Osipov A.V. Peculiarities of hydrocarbon generation at great depths in the crust. Doklady Earth Sciences, 2008. No. 483(1). P. 1413—1417.

11. Kerimov V.Yu., Rachinsky M.Z., Mustaev R.N., Osipov A.V. Groundwater dynamics forecasting criteria of oil and gas occurrences in Alpine Mobile Belt Basins. Doklady Earth Sciences, 2018. No. 476(2). P. 209—212.

12. Rachinsky M.Z., Kerimov V.Yu. Fluid dynamics of oil and gas reservoirs. Ed. by Gorfunkel, M.V. NY, USA: Scrivener Publ. — Wiley, 2015.