France’s energy giant TotalEnergies and its partners, State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and the UAE’s ADNOC-led XRG, have decided to move forward with the expansion of a gas and condensate field in the Caspian Sea offshore Azerbaijan to raise the overall production to 6 billion cubic meters per annum (cma) of gas and 47,000 barrels per day of condensate.
With the final investment decision (FID) for the full field development of the Absheron gas and condensate field now out of the way, TotalEnergies (35%, operator) and its partners, SOCAR (35%) and XRG (30%), expect to bring it online in 2029, increasing overall field output to 6 billion cubic meters of gas annually and 47,000 barrels a day of condensate.
This follows the start-up of the first development phase in 2023, with a production capacity of 1.5 billion cubic meters per annum of gas and 12,000 barrels per day of condensate. Located in the Caspian Sea, 100 kilometers southeast of Baku, the Absheron field holds approximately 140 billion cubic meters of recoverable gas reserves.
Patrick Pouyanné, Chairman and CEO of TotalEnergies, commented: “We are pleased to announce the launch of Absheron full field development, a project that unlocks the full production potential of one of the Caspian Sea's largest gas discoveries.
“In line with TotalEnergies' strategy, Absheron full field development is a low cost and low emissions project that will provide a long-term additional gas supply to the domestic and international markets, supporting regional energy security.”
According to the operator, gas will be supplied to the domestic market and exported to Türkiye through the existing gas infrastructure connecting Azerbaijan to the European gas market, strengthening regional energy security.
TotalEnergies underlines that gas will be produced by four subsea wells, transported to shore through a subsea pipeline equipped with advanced automation solutions, and processed in a new onshore plant, fully electrified and designed to minimize energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with the scope 1 & 2 emissions intensity of the project standing below 4 kg CO2e/boe.
The project complements XRG's existing investment in the Southern Gas Corridor, linking major Caspian resources with established export routes and growing customer demand. This strategically important 3,500-kilometer pipeline network connects Azerbaijan with Türkiye, Southern Europe, and more than 15 European countries.
Mohamed Al Aryani, President, International Gas at XRG, said: "Together with SOCAR and TotalEnergies, we are investing in world-class resources and infrastructure that support energy security, create economic value and drive long-term growth.
“This decision also reflects the strong and enduring relationship between the UAE and Azerbaijan, and our shared ambition to unlock the full potential of the Caspian region for decades to come."