Years of Working Experience in this field
Excellence in Every Well We Drill.
Expertise & Engineering
Delivering world-class well engineering and drilling services for complex offshore environments.
Operational Excellence
Proven track record in safe, efficient, and high-performance offshore drilling operations.
Our mission is to provide the highest standard of service to our clients that meet the evolving needs of the energy sector. We are committed to excellence in performance, upholding the highest level of safety and environmental stewardship. We strive to continuously improve our operations and deliver value to our stakeholders while fostering a culture of respect and integrity.
Caspian Drilling Company Ltd. (CDC) was established on September 5, 1996 as a joint venture between the State Oil Company of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) (55%) and Santa Fe Inc. (USA) (45%). The company was founded based on the legacy and technical expertise of the world-renowned USSR Offshore Exploration Drilling Company (OEDC), with the aim of conducting offshore drilling operations in the Caspian Sea region and supporting the implementation of Production Sharing Agreements (PSAs) in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea.
As part of the national Oil Strategy led by the National Leader of Azerbaijan, Heydar Aliyev, CDC commissioned two semi-submersible drilling rigs—Dada Gorgud (launched on August 24, 1996) and Istiglal (launched on September 2, 1998). President Heydar Aliyev personally attended the inauguration ceremonies of both rigs.
On June 30, 2009, CDC acquired the remaining 45% stake from Santa Fe Inc., making SOCAR the majority shareholder with a 92.44% ownership.
CDC is registered as an Azerbaijani legal entity and operates in full compliance with international standards, employing a multinational workforce. The company has contributed significantly to verifying seismic exploration results through drilling and has drilled development wells from subsea templates.
On April 24, 2011, CDC achieved ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System Certification from DNV (Det Norske Veritas) on the first attempt. The certification covers the management of offshore drilling operations, including engineering, maintenance, equipment, and personnel management.
CDC has executed drilling operations under 16 PSAs in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea. These operations led to the discovery and development of major fields such as Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli (ACG) and Shah Deniz.
Client portfolio includes:
AIOC, BP Shah Deniz, BP Inam, Agip Azerbaijan, Chevron Azerbaijan, EAOC, NAOC, and CIPCO.
To date, CDC has drilled 114 wells (vertical, deviated, and horizontal) using the Istiglal and Dada Gorgud rigs, including wells drilled from subsea templates and completed with subsea Xmas trees across 14 geological structures, including:
Garabag, Ashrafi, Dan Ulduzu, Azeri, Chirag, Gunashli, Shah Deniz, Nakhchivan, Absheron, Inam, Kurdashi, and Araz Daniz.
Wells drilled for AIOC were awarded the prestigious Hi-Plus category, recognizing their excellence in execution.
