RoydadNaft –  Emmanuel de-Guillebon, Managing Director of TotalEnergies Azerbaijan, announced the introduction of an automated subsea pipeline cleaning system for the second phase of the Absheron gas field development, a world-first industrial-scale implementation set to significantly reduce operational costs and downtime.

Emmanuel de-Guillebon, Managing Director and Country Chair of TotalEnergies Azerbaijan, revealed a groundbreaking innovation for the second phase of the Absheron gas field development in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea. Speaking at the 30th Anniversary Baku Energy Forum, he highlighted the deployment of an automated underwater system for launching pipeline pigs (PIGs), designed to clean pipelines of potential wax and hydrate deposits.

De-Guillebon explained that the subsea pipeline’s considerable length, combined with the transport of a gas and condensate mixture, poses a high risk of deposit formation. “In the initial phase, pipeline cleaning will likely be required monthly. Conducting these operations manually using marine vessels would demand significant resources and cause operational downtime,” he noted.

The new automated system will streamline the cleaning process, drastically cutting costs and minimizing disruptions. The system features a subsea unit capable of loading multiple pigs simultaneously, launching them automatically without the need for costly monthly marine operations. While similar technology has been tested on a preliminary basis in Brazil, its industrial-scale application at Absheron will mark a global first.

“We’ve spent years developing this concept with suppliers and are now ready to implement it in Azerbaijan as part of the Absheron project, setting a new benchmark for the industry,” de-Guillebon stated.

Located approximately 100 kilometers southeast of Baku, the Absheron gas field is operated by JOCAP, the Joint Operating Company of Absheron Petroleum. The field began producing gas in July 2023. In August 2023, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) signed an agreement with SOCAR and TotalEnergies to acquire a 30 percent stake in the field, with SOCAR and TotalEnergies each holding 35 percent.

Source: Caliber.Az