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 operatorship for BTC and unified operatorship for BTC and South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) systems to the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR).
Modern.az reports that SOCAR provided information about this.
BP's regional president for Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkey, Gio Cristofoli, spoke at the event about BTC's successes over the past 20 years, the international importance of the project, and the company's long-term effective operatorship role. He expressed confidence that SOCAR will successfully continue the existing high standards in safety, reliability, and operational excellence during the pipeline's operation, and stated that close and long-term cooperation with SOCAR and other partners will be further strengthened.
SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf, stating that the BTC pipeline is one of the most important achievements of Azerbaijan's modern energy strategy laid by National Leader Heydar Aliyev, noted that BTC formed a strategic energy corridor connecting the Caspian region with the Mediterranean Sea via the Black Sea basin and fundamentally changed the model of access for Caspian energy resources to international markets. R. Najaf emphasized that the transfer of BTC operatorship, as well as unified operatorship for BTC and SCP systems, to SOCAR is another important stage in the development of Azerbaijan's energy sector, and that this significant event demonstrates SOCAR's rich operational experience and professional capabilities developed over more than thirty years.
In his speech, Deputy Minister of Economy Anar Akhundov stated that over the past 20 years, the BTC pipeline has made a significant contribution not only to the development of Azerbaijan's energy sector but also to our country's sustainable economic progress and the strengthening of regional cooperation. Noting BP's successful activity as the operator of the BTC pipeline over the past two decades, the Deputy Minister emphasized that the transfer of pipeline operatorship to SOCAR is a logical result of the professional knowledge and operational capabilities developed in Azerbaijan over many years in an environment of international partnership.
Deputy Minister of Energy Kamal Abbasov, stating that BTC holds special importance as a symbol of regional cooperation and reliable international partnership, noted that the value of the project is not only measured by the volume of oil transported over the past 20 years but also reflected in the trust, cooperation, and long-term partnership relations it has formed among countries, companies, and peoples in the region.
Elkhan Sultanov, BP's Pipelines Operations Manager and a veteran oilman, stated in his speech that he has been a participant in the BTC project since its early days and expressed his satisfaction in continuing to contribute to its successful operation at the stage where its operatorship is transferred to SOCAR. E. Sultanov stated that ensuring the safe, reliable, and efficient operation of the pipeline is one of the main priorities.
Then, R. Najaf and C. Cristofoli pressed the symbolic control button signifying the transfer of BTC operatorship and unified operatorship for BTC and SCP systems to SOCAR.
