British energy giant BP is in talks to relinquish its operational role in managing the Baku–Supsa and Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipelines.
The company’s Georgian office confirmed the negotiations to Business Media. The discussions primarily concern transferring Baku–Supsa infrastructure on Georgian territory to Georgia’s Oil and Gas Corporation or its designated operator.
Additionally, BP plans to transfer operational responsibility for the BTC and South Caucasus pipelines to SOCAR Midstream, as reported by Minval.az .
While stepping down as operator, BP will remain a shareholder, retaining a 30.1% stake in BTC and 29.99% in the South Caucasus Pipeline.
If finalized, the handover of operator duties is expected to conclude by the end of the first half of 2026, subject to formal agreements.
The company noted that these changes will not affect the Sangachal Terminal. BP will continue to operate the Azeri–Chirag–Gunashli and Shah Deniz fields, as well as the Sangachal Terminal.
Following the transfer of operational duties in Georgia, BP will carry out a detailed assessment, which will take additional time.
The Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline is a 1,768-kilometer oil pipeline stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean. It links Azerbaijan’s capital Baku with Georgia’s Tbilisi and Turkey’s southern port of Ceyhan. The pipeline is owned by a consortium of 11 energy firms, operated by BP. Construction cost $4 billion. At full capacity, the pipeline has brought Azerbaijan an estimated $20 billion in revenue.
