August 19, 2026 [Storage Terminals Magazine]- Global automation technology company Emerson has secured a multi-million-dollar contract from BP to provide advanced automation technologies for the Shah Deniz Compression project offshore Azerbaijan.

The contract builds on a long-standing relationship between the two companies. Emerson has previously served as the main automation contractor for BP’s Azeri Central East and Shah Deniz Stage 2 developments, positioning the company to support the next phase of development at the Shah Deniz gas field in the Caspian Sea.

Under the latest contract, Emerson will supply integrated control and safety systems designed to support production, safety, reliability and operational efficiency on the new offshore compression platform.

Advancing Shah Deniz field development

The $2.9 billion Shah Deniz Compression project represents the next stage in the development of the Shah Deniz field. The project includes an electrically powered, normally unattended offshore production platform designed to access lower-pressure gas reserves and maximise recovery from the field.

The platform will feature four 11MW compressors and serve as a central compression hub for gas produced from the Shah Deniz Alpha and Bravo platforms. Operations will be conducted remotely from BP’s Sangachal terminal, approximately 55 kilometres south of Baku.

Integrated automation and safety systems

As part of the contract, Emerson will deploy its*DeltaV Distributed Control System and DeltaV Safety Instrumented System. The integrated solution will provide process control, safety shutdown capabilities, fire and gas detection, and power management.

By combining these functions, the systems are expected to provide real-time visibility into critical operations and enable remote control of the offshore facility. The approach is designed to help reduce operating costs while improving efficiency, safety and platform availability.

The project also incorporates digital technologies intended to support the facility throughout its lifecycle. Emerson’s cloud engineering services and digital twin technology will bring together virtual testing, system integration and operator training within a connected engineering workflow.

Focus on lifecycle performance

Emerson’s approach extends beyond the initial capital investment, with an emphasis on improving performance throughout the project lifecycle. The company says its execution model is designed to improve schedule predictability, reduce cost and complexity, and provide greater flexibility to accommodate changes during project development.

Ram Krishnan, chief operating officer of Emerson, highlighted the company’s longstanding involvement in the Shah Deniz development and its continued collaboration with BP.

According to Krishnan, Emerson’s role as the main automation contractor for more than a decade demonstrates the value of its end-to-end execution model beyond the initial construction phase. He added that the latest project will deploy advanced systems to support remote operations and expand the production profile of the Shah Deniz field.

Supporting future gas and condensate production

The Shah Deniz Compression project is expected to enable approximately 50 billion cubic metres of additional gas production and around 25 million barrels of condensate production and export.

Construction is scheduled for completion in 2029, with first gas compression from the Shah Deniz Alpha platform expected that year. Compression from the Shah Deniz Bravo platform is scheduled to begin in 2030.

The project is therefore expected to play an important role in extending production from one of the Caspian Sea’s major gas developments, while Emerson’s automation and safety technologies will support the remote, reliable and efficient operation of the new offshore compression infrastructure.