Today, an event was held at the Sangachal Terminal to mark the 20th anniversary of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil export pipeline and the transfer of the operatorship of the BTC and the unified operatorship of the BTC and South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) systems to SOCAR.
According to information provided to elchi by SOCAR, bp’s regional president for Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, Gio Cristofoli, spoke at the event about the successes of the BTC over the past 20 years, the international significance of the project, and bp’s long-term effective role as operator. He expressed confidence that SOCAR would successfully continue the existing high standards in safety, reliability, and operational excellence during the pipeline’s operation and stated that the close and long-term cooperation with SOCAR and other partners would be further strengthened.
Stating that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline is one of the most important achievements of Azerbaijan’s modern energy strategy, founded by National Leader Heydar Aliyev, SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf noted that the BTC has formed a strategic energy corridor connecting the Caspian region with the Mediterranean through the Black Sea basin and has fundamentally changed the model for accessing international markets for Caspian energy resources. Saying that the transfer of the operatorship of the BTC, as well as the unified operatorship of the BTC and SCP systems to SOCAR, is another important stage in the development of Azerbaijan’s energy sector, Rovshan Najaf emphasized that this significant event demonstrates the rich operational experience and professional capabilities that SOCAR has built over more than three decades.
In his speech, Deputy Minister of Economy Anar Axundov stated that over the past twenty years, the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline has made a significant contribution to the development of Azerbaijan’s energy sector, as well as to the country’s sustainable economic progress and the strengthening of regional cooperation. Noting bp’s successful performance as the operator of the BTC pipeline over the last two decades, the Deputy Minister emphasized that the transfer of the pipeline’s operatorship to SOCAR is a logical result of the professional knowledge and operational capabilities formed in Azerbaijan over many years within an international partnership environment.
Deputy Minister of Energy Kamal Abbasov, stating that the BTC holds special importance as a symbol of regional cooperation and reliable international partnership, pointed out that the value of the project is not only measured by the volumes of oil transported over the past 20 years, but is also reflected in the trust, cooperation, and long-term partnership relations formed between the countries of the region, companies, and peoples.
bp’s Pipeline Operations Manager and veteran oilman Elxan Sultanov said in his speech that he had been a participant in this process since the early stages of the BTC project and expressed his pleasure in continuing to contribute to its successful operation at the stage when the operatorship of this strategic project has passed to SOCAR. Elxan Sultanov stated that ensuring the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the pipeline is one of the main priorities.
Then, Rovshan Najaf and Gio Cristofoli pressed the symbolic control button, signifying the transfer of the operatorship of the BTC and the unified operatorship of the BTC and SCP systems to SOCAR.
