British energy giant BP, looking to recover from falling output, heavy fines and a boardroom scandal, announced Wednesday that it has made a major gas discovery in the Caspian Sea bordering Azerbaijan.
"The exploration discovery represents a potentially significant find," BP said in a statement. BP added that the discovery was made in the Shah Deniz field in the Caspian Sea. "The SDX-04 appraisal and exploration well, some 70 kilometres (44 miles) south east of Baku, discovered a new high pressure reservoir in a deeper structure below the currently producing reservoir," the statement said.
"There will be appraisal to fully delineate the new structure in the next few years," it added. News of the discovery comes after BP last month revealed that third quarter profits plunged by almost half, mainly because of lower output.