Construction of three subsea pipelines in the Azeri sector of the Caspian Sea is being proposed by the Azerbaijan International Operating Co, according to a recent report. The $700-million project will bring oil and gas ashore from the Azari-Ciraq-Gunaskli area offshore, and will include a initial 204-km long oil pipeline, followed by a 224-km long associated-gas line and a 200-km long oil line, as well as a 34.5-km long connector for transporting associuaed gas from the Ciraq field. Construction of the first pipeline by the BP-led consortium will probably state shortly for an end-2004 start-up. Major partners in AIOC are BP Azerbaijan (34.1%), the state-owned oil company SOCAR (10%), Statoil of Norway (8.6%), ExxonMobil (8.0%).
