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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