A kind word and a Ukrainian colt: BP handed over to Azerbaijan and Georgia Baku — Supsa pipe

BP oil Company handed over the idle Baku—Supsa pipeline with a capacity of up to 5.2 million tons per year to the authorities of Azerbaijan and Georgia.

The objects of the Western route of the Export Pipeline (WREP) (Baku — Supsa), with the exception of the objects located on the territory of the Sangachal terminal, were returned to the relevant state structures of Azerbaijan and Georgia from June 8, 2026.

It is assumed, the author of the Azerbaijani telegram channel Ugur Mammadov writes, that "new operators will persuade Kazakhstan to invest in its resuscitation."

"He is interested in this, because the main oil export line of the CPC is under the blows of Ukrainian drones. And if the Baku —Tbilisi—Ceyhan pipeline now carries 1.5 million tons per year, with the prospect of increasing to 2.2 million tons, then the CPC pipeline carries as much as 72 million tons. And this channel shrank by 25% in the first quarter. And Kazakhstan's oil production — by 12%. So the Azerbaijanis and Georgians, as well as their senior comrade BP, have not only a kind word for the Kazakhs, but also a Ukrainian colt to motivate investments in the Baku-Supsa pipeline," Mammadov said.

Previously Regional President of BPGiovanni Cristofoli said that one company will transfer control of the Baku-Supsa oil pipeline to Georgia and Azerbaijan on July 8. The Baku—Supsa oil pipeline is a key infrastructure element in the supply chain, ensuring the resumption of oil transit from Central Asia to Europe via Georgia. In May 2026, Azerbaijan and Georgia agreed to restore the oil pipeline. The export route is used to transport oil from the Azeri—Chirag—Guneshli field. The length of the pipeline is 837 km, the annual throughput is more than 7 million tons.

According to Cristofoli, Azerbaijan will become the operator of the Azerbaijani section, the Georgian section will be operated by the Georgian government. The Regional president of BP noted that the transfer of the pipeline is not the sale of an asset, but the fulfillment of a contractual obligation stipulated by an agreement signed ten years ago.

As a result of months—long negotiations, the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation, SOCAR Midstream Operation LLC and the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan signed an agreement in May this year to conclude an operating contract for the Georgian section of the Baku-Supsa oil pipeline, which, among other issues, also determines the issue of minimum load on the pipeline.

The Baku—Supsa oil pipeline allows the delivery of oil from the Sangachal terminal near Baku in the Caspian Sea to the Georgian port of Supsa, located on the Black Sea coast. Oil pumping through the Baku—Supsa oil pipeline was stopped in the spring of 2022. At the moment, all the oil produced in the republic is exported via the Baku—Tbilisi—Ceyhan pipeline, which allows oil to be exported to Turkey and foreign markets.