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Lklundin: /* See also */ {{Portal|Azerbaijan|Energy}}

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‎See also: {{Portal|Azerbaijan|Energy}}

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{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2013}}
{{Infobox oil field
| name = Gunashli oilfield
| country = [[Azerbaijan]]
| region = [[Caspian Sea]]
| location =
| block =
| offonshore = Offshore
| coordinates =
| operator = [[SOCAR]] (western section)<br/>[[BP]] (on behalf of [[Azerbaijan International Operating Company|AIOC]], eastern deepwater section)
| operators =
| partners = [[Azerbaijan International Operating Company|AIOC]], eastern deepwater section
| image = Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli.GIF
| caption = <small>Location of Azeri–Chirag–Guneshli in the Caspian Sea</small>
| discovery = 1958
| start_development = 1976
| start_production = 1982
| peak_year =
| abandonment =
| oil_production_bbl/d =
| oil_production_tpy =
| production_year_oil =
| production_gas_mmcuft/d =
| production_gas_mmscm/d =
| production_gas_bcm/y =
| production_year_gas =
| est_oil_bbl =
| est_oil_t = 100
| est_gas_bft =
| est_gas_bcm =
| formations =
}}

'''Gunashli''' ([[Azerbaijani language|Azerbaijani]]: ''Günəşli'') is an offshore [[oil field]] in the [[Caspian Sea]], located {{convert|120|km}} east of [[Baku]], [[Azerbaijan]], {{convert|12|km}} southeast of [[Oil Rocks]]<ref name="Azerbaijan International">
{{cite journal
| url = http://azer.com/aiweb/categories/magazine/34_folder/34_articles/34_gunashli.html
| title = Gunashli for a Sunnier Future
| first= Mark | last = Sparks
| date=Winter 1995 |volume = 3 |issue = 4
| pages = 46
| journal = [[Azerbaijan International]]
| accessdate = 9 December 2009}}
</ref> and its deep water section is a part of the larger [[Azeri–Chirag–Guneshli]] (ACG) project.<ref name=BP>{{cite web |url=http://www.bp.com/sectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9006667&contentId=7015091 |title=Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli |website=BP Azerbaijan |publisher=BP}}</ref> The Azeri translation of ''Gunashli'' means ''"sunny"''. Gunashli is believed to have more than 100 million tonnes of oil reserves.<ref name="Azerbaijan International"/>

==Western shallow water section==
The portion of Gunashli field which is not in the scope of ACG project, lies in {{convert|120|m|ft}} depth of water and developed by [[SOCAR|State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR)]] while the deepwater section developed by [[BP]] within ACG project is at {{convert|175|to|300|m|ft}}.<ref name="Azerbaijan International"/><ref name=BP/>

The field was explored in 1958–63.<ref name="Azerbaijan International"/> The first offshore platform was installed by 1976.<ref name="Azerbaijan International"/> Production in this section started in 1982.<ref name=jolley>
{{cite book
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=M2qKYwuL6pMC&pg=PA103
| title = Reservoir Compartmentalization. Issue 347 of Geological Society special publication
| editor-first1 = S.J. | editor-last1 = Jolley
| chapter = Variation in fluid contacts in the Azeri field,Azerbaijan: sealing faults or hydrodynamic aquifer?
| first1 = R.S.J.| last1 = Tozer
| first2 = A.M. | last2 = Borthwick
| publisher = [[Geological Society of London]]
| page = 103
| year = 2010
| isbn = 9781862393165
}}</ref> It consisted of 4 steel jackets for drilling of 10 wells. As per 1980 data, the platform produced 320 tonnes of oil per day.<ref name="Azerbaijan International"/>

As of 1995, Gunashli was producing {{convert|120000|oilbbl/d}} of oil. Because of steadily falling rate of production (9%), SOCAR hired [[Kvaerner]] to provide project management to rehabilitate Gunashli.<ref name="Azerbaijan International"/> In March 2008, a high-flow-rate well No. 244 was put into operation through the platform No. 13. It produces 140 tons of oil and {{convert|23000|m3}} of natural gas per day. The well was drilled by SOCAR subsidiary ''Azeri Drilling Company Ltd''. The well No. 247 was drilled by ''Bayil Limani Offshore Exploration Drilling Unit'' through platform No. 14. It produces 100 tonnes per day.<ref>
{{cite news
| url= http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=59155
| title= High-Flow-Rate Well Put Into Operation in Gunashli Field
| publisher= Rigzone
| author =
| date= 31 March 2008
| accessdate=9 December 2009
}}</ref>

==Eastern deep water section==
The deep water section of Gunashli (also called ''DWG'') field has been included for development within the ACG project's Phase III. First oil from DWG was produced on 20 April 2008 from one of 10 pre-drilled wells. DWG now produces nearly {{convert|320000|oilbbl/d}} of the total {{convert|1|Moilbbl/d}} from ACG fields complex.<ref>
{{cite news
| url= http://www.neurope.eu/articles/86261.php
| title= Deep Water Gunashli starts up in the Caspian
| publisher= New Europe
| author =
| issue = 780
| date= 5 May 2008
| accessdate=9 December 2009
}}</ref> ACG's DWG complex is located in the eastern side of the Gunashli field and includes two bridge-linked platforms:
*a 48-slot drilling, utilities and quarters (DUQ) platform
*a process, gas compression, water injection and utilities (PCWU) platform
Oil produced at DWG is transported through a {{convert|30|in|mm|adj=on}} oil pipeline tie-ins and single {{convert|28|in|mm|adj=on}} gas pipeline tie-in into pre-installed pipeline junctions from [[Azeri Oil Field|Azeri field]] leading to [[Sangachal terminal]].<ref name=BP/> The DWG has 9 operating wells. It has been producing 16,800 tonnes of oil and {{convert|6.4|e6m3|abbr=off}} of natural gas per day.<ref>
{{cite news
| url= http://www.today.az/news/business/55218.html
| title= Recoverable reserves at Azerbaijan’s Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli fields estimated at nearly 1 billion tons
| publisher = Today.az
| agency = Interfax Azerbaijan
| date= 9 February 2009
| accessdate=9 December 2009
}}</ref>

==1986 fire==

In Soviet times, on 12 July 1986 a fire broke out on an exploration platform in the Gunashli oilfield. Three oil workers and two rescuers died. While the incident was blamed on an engineer, widespread rumors claimed that faulty and outdated equipment caused the fire. After this incident, a minor protest against government neglect took place in front of the [[Government House, Baku|Government House]]. Protestors were arrested and described as [[Hooliganism#In the Soviet Union and Russia|hooligans]] by the Soviet press.<ref name=Azadliq061215>{{cite news |last1=Huseinov |first1=Aliman |title=Günəşli yatağında 32 nəfər xilas edilib, bir nəfər həlak olub |trans_title=Guneshli 32 people were rescued, one person was killed |language=Azerbaijani |newspaper=[[Azadliq (newspaper)|Azadliq]] |date=6 December 2015}}</ref>

==2015 fire==
{{main|Gunashli Platform No.10 fire}}

On 4 December 2015, a deadly fire broke out in the northern part of platform No. 10 at the western section of the oilfield.<ref name="cihan"/><ref name=trend061215b>{{cite news |title=Azerbaijani platform head discloses incident details |url=http://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/society/2465897.html |agency=[[Trend News Agency]] |date=6 December 2015 |accessdate=6 December 2015}}</ref> The fire started, according to SOCAR, when a high-pressure underwater gas pipeline was damaged in a heavy storm.<ref name="cihan">{{cite news |title=Fire on Azerbaijan's offshore Guneshli field continues |url=http://en.cihan.com.tr/en/fire-on-azerbaijans-offshore-guneshli-field-continues-updating-1960574.htm |agency=[[Cihan News Agency]] |date=5 December 2015 |accessdate=5 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=ap051215>{{cite news |last=Aida |first=Sultanova |title=Azerbaijan: 1 dead, 30 missing, 33 saved after oil rig fire |url=http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Azerbaijan-Oil-rig-on-fire-in-Caspian-25-6677557.php |newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=5 December 2015 |accessdate=5 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=afp061215>{{cite news |last1=Guliyev |first1=Emil |title=Azerbaijan mourns 'many deaths' after oil rig fire |url =https://www.yahoo.com/news/azerbaijan-mourns-29-still-missing-oil-rig-fire-102440132.html?ref=gs |agency=[[Agence France-Presse]] |date=6 December 2015 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/ES5ie |archivedate=5 October 2016 |deadurl=no |accessdate=5 October 2016}}</ref> As a result of the fire, the platform, which had been in service since 1984, partially collapsed.<ref name=reuters051215>{{cite news|last1=Bagirova|first1=Nailia |title=One worker killed, 30 missing after Azeri oil rig fire: government |url=http://www.reuters.com/article/us-azerbaijan-accident-fire-idUSKBN0TO09H20151205|agency=[[Reuters]]|date=5 December 2015 |accessdate=5 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=ap061215>{{cite news |last=Aida |first=Sultanova |title=Azerbaijan: 29 still missing from burning oil platform |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/azerbaijan-29-still-missing-burning-oil-platform-110954435.html?ref=gs |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=6 December 2015 |accessdate=5 October 2016 |archiveurl=http://archive.is/bdADJ |archivedate=5 October 2016 |deadurl=no}}</ref><ref name=trend061215a>{{cite news |last=Tsurkov |first=Maksim |title=SOCAR focused on searches, fire-fighting on faulty offshore platform |url=http://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/society/2465857.html |agency=[[Trend News Agency]] |date=6 December 2015 |accessdate=6 December 2015}}</ref>

At the time of the accident, 63 workers were on the platform.<ref name=trend061215a/> According to the [[Ministry of Emergency Situations (Azerbaijan)|Ministry of Emergency Situations of Azerbaijan]], seven workers are confirmed to have been killed, 23 are missing, 33 were rescued; and nine were hospitalized.<ref name=trend101215b>{{cite news |title=Azerbaijan still searching for missing oilmen; aircraft, ships engaged |url=http://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/society/2468127.html |agency=[[Trend News Agency]] |date=10 December 2015 | accessdate=10 December 2015}}</ref><ref name=trend051215b>{{cite news |title=22 injured in SOCAR platform accident sent home |url=http://en.trend.az/azerbaijan/society/2465777.html |agency=[[Trend News Agency]] |date=5 December 2015 |accessdate=5 December 2015}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Azerbaijan|Energy}}
{{columnslist|3|
*[[Azeri–Chirag–Gunashli]]
*[[Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline]]
*[[Sangachal Terminal]]
*[[South Caucasus Pipeline]]
*[[Baku–Supsa Pipeline]]
*[[Baku–Novorossiysk pipeline]]
*[[Nabucco pipeline]]
*[[Baku-Novo Filya gas pipeline]]
*[[Nakhichevan field]]
}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
*[http://www.rigzone.com/news/image_detail.asp?img_id=4174&a_id=74284 Image showing Chirag within ACG fields]

{{Energy in Azerbaijan}}

{{Coord missing|Azerbaijan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gunashli Oilfield}}
[[Category:BP oil and gas fields]]
[[Category:Caspian Sea]]
[[Category:Oil fields of Azerbaijan]]

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