Caspian Energy (CE): Which new possibilities do the ongoing reforms in Azerbaijan open up for the Company?
Shukur Agazade, Chairman of the Board of Directors of AzMetco OJSC: The approval of the main areas of the strategic “roadmap” for the development of the national economy of Azerbaijan, its main sectors, including the oil and gas industry, has certainly been contributing to further development of economy. The reforms are now underway in Azerbaijan as part of the “roadmap”, opening up wide opportunities for development of new segments of the service market in the oil and gas industry.
For our Company new opportunities create conditions for development of new lines of activity. In this regard, we associate great development prospects with participation in international projects in the field of our expertise.
CE: Which services is AzMetco Complex Adjustment and Automation OJSC offering today on the market? Could you please tell about prospects for further development?
Shukur Agazade: AzMetco mainly specializes in metrological service and technical maintenance of measuring tools, automation and telemetry systems, as well as pre-commissioning activities.
The metrological service of AzMetco has been accredited by the Azerbaijan State Committee on Standardization, Metrology and Patent (AzGosstandart) with the right to perform calibration of measuring tools.
Our laboratory dealing in repairing of measuring tools is equipped with the brand-new measuring instruments and equipment for all range diagnosing, check-up, adjustment and repair of measuring equipment.
Today AzMetco offers the full range of works on maintenance of measuring tools for different industries, as well as automation of engineering systems and facilities.
Our specialists provide services to help choose and purchase required equipment.
The main perspective areas of AzMetco’s development are associated with the expansion of geography of the service sector, as well as active promotion of wireless technologies.
CE: Which innovative products is the Company ready to offer to the market today?
Shukur Agazade: It is necessary to conduct regular metrological test procedures-calibrations in accordance with the regulations in order to ensure reliable operation of metering systems.
It is extremely important in the current situation. Oil prices plummeted which means that oil volumes have to be measured precisely so that to avoid missing any single unit of a strategically important natural resource which is hardly produced. In turn, this becomes possible only with regular calibrations of oil measuring instruments which are used in different process conditions.
As far as metrological support in the oil and gas segment is concerned, in our opinion, most metering systems are now provided with necessary brand-new equipment.
However given the increasingly growing range of up-to-date high-accuracy equipment developed on the basis of fundamental scientific research and latest achievements of the production-technical industry, it is necessary to constantly monitor and put into practice these achievements of science and technology.
CE: To what extent were you able to cover the ongoing oil and gas projects implemented in Azerbaijan?
Shukur Agazade: Just like the oil-gas segment, the service market is also experiencing tough times due to the situation with oil prices.
However, we make every effort to fulfill present-day production tasks and prospective projects.
Despite the difficulties, we ensure non-stop operation of equipment at the serviced facilities.
At present, AzMetco is implementing the promising projects for reconstruction of metering and telemetry systems in the oil and gas industry.
CE: What regions is the Company presented in? Does the Company plan to expand the geography of operations?
Shukur Agazade: Along with the operations in Azerbaijan at the SOCAR-run companies, for more than 15 years AzMetco has been performing calibration works at the BP facilities in Azerbaijan, Georgia (Supsa terminal) and Turkey (Ceyhan terminal). Currently, we plan to perform operations in Turkey under the contract with BOTAŞ International Limited.
During the Oil and Gas Exhibition hosted in Iran in 2016, AzMetco held meetings with the representatives of the National Iranian Oil Company which resulted in achieving the intention to cooperate.
In 2016, AzMetco jointly with the Dutch National Metrology Institute held meetings with the representatives of Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia to organize and perform calibration works on stationary provers in Saudi Arabia.
CE: Which certificates does the Company possess? What opportunities do they offer?
Shukur Agazade: Currently AzMetco holds certificates from both local and foreign standardization agencies. In Azerbaijan, we obtained the AZS ISO/IEC 17025 standard (Competence in Calibration Work Performance). In addition, we received the international certificates ISO 9000 (international certificate of compliance with quality requirements), ISO 18001 (international certificate of compliance with safety requirements).
Along with this, we have recently received the international Calibration and Measurement Capability (CMC) certificate. The CMC is a certificate confirming that measuring and calibration procedures are performed in accordance with the technical requirements of the international standard ISO/IEC 17025 “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories”. A CMC certificate is provided if calibration laboratories meet the requirements of the international standard in practice.
This certificate enables AzMetco to perform measurement and calibration services not only in neighbouring countries, but also in any country around the globe.
CE: Which lines of activity does the Company plan to develop now?
Shukur Agazade: AzMetco also performs works on development, commissioning and start-up of telemetry systems in the oil and gas industry. Oil-gas production control and management systems open advantages to increase productivity and reduce costs.
At AzMetco, we organized and held the presentation of telemetry systems of Izhevskiy Radiozavod (IRZ, RF) in Baku with participation of the SOCAR-run companies. The AzMetco’s representatives got acquainted with the production capacity of the plant. The meeting followed with signing the contract for delivery and introduction of the IRZ products at companies in Azerbaijan.
