Baku: The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Company (BTC Co) has announced that, effective 1 July 2026, the operatorship of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil export pipeline will transition from BP Exploration (Caspian Sea) Limited to SOCAR Midstream Operations LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of SOCAR.
According to Azeri-Press News Agency, this transfer will cover all sections of the BTC pipeline across Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Trkiye. Additionally, the management of BTC pipeline activities and the operatorship of common activities related to both the BTC and South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) systems, previously handled by BP, will also be transferred to SOCAR Midstream Operations LLC.
The transition aligns with the agreements supporting the BTC project and is part of the final readiness decision. It encompasses all dedicated BTC facilities and activities, along with BTC/SCP joint activities across the three nations, with the exception of those located within the Sangachal terminal, which will continue under BP's operatorship. The shareholding structure of BTC Co. remains unchanged.
BP's regional president for the Caspian, Central Asia, and Trkiye, Gio Cristofoli, emphasized the importance of this transition, highlighting BP's long-standing role in ensuring the pipeline's efficient and secure operation. He expressed confidence in SOCAR's ability to maintain high standards of safety and reliability in BTC operations and looked forward to continuing the partnership with SOCAR and co-venturers as shareholders in BTC and SCP.
Despite the change in operatorship, BP remains the operator of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli and Shah Deniz fields, as well as other upstream projects in the Caspian region.
Rovshan Najaf, President of SOCAR, remarked on the BTC pipeline's contribution to Azerbaijan's sustainable development and its role in enhancing global energy security. He stated that the transfer of operatorship to SOCAR signifies a significant milestone, reflecting the company's growing expertise in managing world-class energy infrastructure.
Earlier, it was announced that effective 8 June 2026, the Western Route Export Pipeline (WREP) facilities in Azerbaijan and Georgia were returned to the entities acting on behalf of the Governments of Azerbaijan and Georgia.
SOCAR Midstream Gas Operations LLC has been the commercial operator of SCP since 2015 and the technical operator since 2021, showcasing the collaboration between SOCAR and BP in managing shared BTC and SCP activities.
Both BP and SOCAR have been collaborating to ensure a smooth transfer of facilities and activities covered by the operatorship transition, maintaining reliable pipeline operations throughout.
The BTC pipeline, spanning 1,768 kilometers, was designed to safely export crude oil from the Caspian to the Mediterranean. It plays a vital role in creating revenues for transit countries and strengthening economic and political links between Azerbaijan, Georgia, Trkiye, and the West. Since its inception, BTC Co. has engaged with over 550 communities and continues to implement social initiatives along the pipeline's path.
With a throughput capacity of 1 million barrels of oil per day, the BTC pipeline includes eight pump stations and 98 valve stations. It traverses several mountain ranges, roads, railways, utility lines, and watercourses, making it one of the most complex engineering projects of its time.
Since its completion in 2006, the BTC pipeline has transported over 4.7 billion barrels of crude oil via 6,271 tankers to global markets. It primarily carries Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli crude oil and Shah Deniz condensate from Azerbaijan, along with other regional volumes from Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and other SOCAR-produced volumes.