SOCAR MGO Prioritizes Extension Of Old Oil And Gas Infrastructure's Service Life

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, December 10. The use of appropriate technological solutions is a priority for the extension of the service life of old oil and gas infrastructure, Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of SOCAR Midstream Gas Operations (SOCAR MGO) Nariman Mehdiyev told Trend on the sidelines of the event "Asset Integrity & Corrosion and Coatings Conference" dedicated to the oil and gas sector in Baku today.

According to him, the event focuses on bringing together specialists working in the oil and gas sector to discuss modern technological solutions that ensure the long-term operation of existing platforms.

Mehdiyev pointed out that a lot of the current infrastructure is falling apart, and it's out of the question to swap it all out at once.

According to him, the primary goal is therefore to extend the service life of this infrastructure and conduct operations more efficiently.

"We've been cooperating with some of the companies participating in this event for many years, while we're meeting with others for the first time. There are companies whose technologies we plan to use in the future," he explained.

The CTO also mentioned that a few oil and gas facilities from the Soviet era are still kicking around and in operation.

"The time has come to upgrade some of these facilities. In this context, the infrastructure must either be modernized or specific steps must be taken to extend its service life. The corresponding measures are already being implemented."

Mehdiyev also pointed out that preventative measures against corrosion and other risks are taken into account at the design stage for Azerbaijan's new oil and gas export pipelines.

"Therefore, such problems are virtually nonexistent on such pipelines. The primary focus is on the old infrastructure. If modern methods are not applied to the old infrastructure, there is a risk of its rapid failure. The general design life of such facilities is 25-30 years. However, during this period, pipelines and other facilities must be regularly maintained. Using new technologies, it's possible to extend the service life of the infrastructure even further," he added.

SOCAR Midstream Gas Operations (SMGO) is a subsidiary of SOCAR tasked with the management and operation of Azerbaijan's national and international gas transportation infrastructure, encompassing pipelines (SCP, TANAP, TAP), storage facilities, and the commercial and technical supervision of principal export routes. It serves as the legal successor to the former SOCAR Midstream Operations (SMO), established in 2015, and concentrates on the efficient and secure distribution of gas through Southern Gas Corridor initiatives.

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