The second phase of seismic exploration at Azerbaijan’s Karabakh oil and gas field will begin in March 2026, marking a new step in the project jointly developed by bp and SOCAR.
According to Report, Gorkhmaz Kerimov, a representative of bp Azerbaijan, said during an online public consultation on the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that high-resolution (HR) and ultra-high-resolution (UHR) seismic surveys will be carried out from mid-March to late April 2026.
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“This technical phase will make it possible to accurately assess the geological and hydroacoustic characteristics of the site and will serve as a foundation for future engineering decisions,” Kerimov explained.
The surveys will be conducted at depths ranging from 170 to 185 meters, using the Caspian Provider supply vessel or a similar ship.
Ocean-Bottom Node Survey to Begin This December
Before the HR and UHR stage, Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) seismic acquisition is set to begin at the Karabakh field on December 1, 2025, and will continue for approximately three and a half months. These operations will cover depths of 140 to 200 meters.
The Guba vessel will be used to deploy ocean-bottom seismic sensors, while the Murovdag vessel will serve as the source of seismic signals.
Background: bp–SOCAR Partnership on Karabakh Field
The Karabakh field is located about 120 kilometers east of Baku and 20–25 kilometers from the Gunashli field, at a depth of 150–200 meters.
On June 3, 2025, during Baku Energy Week, bp and SOCAR signed agreements on acquiring participation shares in the Karabakh project.
Preliminary assessments estimate the field’s geological reserves at over 60 million tons of oil, with 21 million tons of recoverable oil and about 13 billion cubic meters of recoverable gas.
