SOCAR Taps Baker Hughes to Cut Emissions at Baku Refinery

Baker Hughes Co. has signed a contract with the State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) to reduce flaring at the latter’s Heydar Aliyev oil refinery in Baku. Baker Hughes said in a media release the reduction will be achieved through an integrated gas recovery and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) removal system.

According to Baker Hughes, the project is a tangible step toward ending routine flaring by 2030 at SOCAR’s site. It is expected to recover flare gas equivalent to up to 7 million normal cubic meters (Nm3) of methane per year, and further reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by up to 11,000 tons per year.

The recovered gas will be used as fuel, lowering operational costs and creating new opportunities for the refinery, Baker Hughes said.

“We must reduce emissions by 45 percent this decade to put us on the right path to reach net zero by 2050. The industry has an imperative to act now, and we can do it with existing technology solutions that can be deployed today”, Baker Hughes Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Simonelli said.

“Our collaboration with Baker Hughes reflects SOCAR’s commitment to advancing sustainable operations and reducing emissions across our sites”, Rovshan Najaf, president of SOCAR, said. “By launching this project, we are making a tangible impact on emissions abatement and setting a benchmark for environmental responsibility”.

The two companies moved the project from concept to contract in nine months. Project execution will begin immediately, with the two partners aiming to fully commission the project in 24 months.

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