496 
pad.® It was fabricated in three sections and was designed to operate 
in ice free areas in waves up to 12 meters high and in winds of 
up to 160 kilometers per hour.* 
In addition to the Baky and the Chazar, Russia has to obsolete 
jackups, both also at work in the Caspian Sea. They are the Apsheron, 
activated in 1966, which can drill to 1,800 meters in 15 meters 
of water; and the Azerbaijan, activated in 1972, which can drill to 
3,600 meters in water up to 20 meters deep. 
The U.S.S.R. currently has no semisubmersible drilling rigs, but 
has announced plans to construct a series of modern semisubmersibles 
capable of working in waters 100 to 200 meters deep. The first 
unit of this new series is not expected to enter service before 1978. 
It will be built on twin pontoons, each supporting three columns 
with a deck about 30 meters above the water. The rigs will be 
equipped with a helicopter pad, but apparently will not be self- 
propelled. 
The Soviets are also interested in acquiring foreign technology to 
assist in the development of subsea oil and gas. Foreign technology 
import appears essential to any hope of doubling offshore production 
in the next 10 years. The Russians have recently been reported to 
be interested in acquiring two of the Norwegian Aker group’s H-3 
semisubmersibles. They have also been reported to have inquired 
about obtaining one or more ‘“‘mini-semi”’ drilling vessels designed 
by U.S. firms. England, Finland, and France are also potential sup- 
pliers of mobile offshore rigs to the Soviets.® 
Soviet need for improved offshore technology extends beyond the 
acquisition of additional mobile drilling rigs. A new $14.5 million 
Dutch-built pipelaying barge and pipecoating plant is expected to 
begin operations in the Caspian Sea shortly. The vessel, named Su- 
leiman Yezirov is at Baku undergoing final preparations. It has five 
welding stations and is reported to be able to lay pipe up to 800 
millimeters in diameter. Soviet plans call for the barge to lay about 
180 kilometers of subsea oil and gas pipeline annually and thus to 
shorten considerably the time required to put newly discovered Cas- 
pian Sea fields into production. As of mid-1974, the U.S.S.R. had laid 
a total of only 300 kilometers of oil and gas pipelines beneath the 
Caspian Sea. Development of new fields on the eastern side of the 
Caspian has been delayed by Soviet inability to lay pipe in water 
deeper than 25 meters. The Suleiman Yeyirov is designed to lay pipe in 
waters as deep as 200 meters. ® 
The Soviets have ordered a geological survey ship Esarc, from the 
French engineering company, Serete, for use in the Caspian Sea. 
The development of the design resulted from cooperation between 
the Russians and French over a 4-year period. The value of the 
contract is $26.5 million. Delivery of Esarc is set for September 1977. 
The ship will have sophisticated equipment including dynamic position- 
83 [bid., p. 161. 
64 Russia Plans to Construct Semisubmersible “‘Series.’’ Offshore, November 1974, p. 64. 
85 Russia Displays Interest in Aker Rigs, Offshore, October 1975, p. 212. 
°° Ocean Oil Weekly Report, v. 8, n. 47, August 19, 1974, p. 3. 
*Note: The Baky was reported to have sunk during drilling operations on its second hole, due to 
leg collapse. Ocean Oil Weekly Report, July 5, 1976. 
