OREANDA-NEWS. May 14, 2012. In April 2012 the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) reduced drilling by 7.8% versus March when it increased by 38.5% compared to February.

The SOCAR informs that if not to take into account drilling operations by joint ventures (JVs) and operating companies (OCs) it was drilled 14.220 m in April versus 15.415 m in March, 11.132 m in February ,10,739 m in January and 14.866 m in September 2011 (last year’s best indicator). The volume of drilling in February 2010 (12,890 m) was the best index of 2010, and 17,399 m in April of 2009 was the best index over the last few years. At that, this April development drilling made up 13.647 m and exploration drilling 573 m and wildcat drilling 356 m.

"Volume of drilling work in January-April 2012 made up 51.506 m , including 49.428 m development drilling, 2.078 m exploration drilling ( 1.166 m wildcat drilling) ",- the report says.

The Company has not published its plants for 2012, but in 2011 its drilling works totaled 147,287 m, including 133,343 m of development and 13,944 m of exploration drilling (including 2,550 m of wildcat drilling).

Drilling for 2010 totaled 136,324 m against 168,182 m for 2009 and 202,954 m for 2008.

In 2010, development drilling totaled 127,858 m, exploration drilling 8,466 m (including 1,785 m of wildcat drilling) versus 160,326 m of development and 7,856 m of exploration drilling in 2009.

According to SOCAR vice president Khoshbakht Yusifzadeh , this year they are planning to drill 280,000 m against 270,000 m in 2011.