Baku-Supsa pipeline updates

Kakha Kaladze, Vice Premier of Georgia, and Minister of Energy, offers an explanation to the new pipeline. He states that should any problems be encountered with the already functioning Baku-Supsa pipeline – an 833 km oil pipeline that runs from Azerbaijan to Georgia – a new pipeline will replace it as an alternative project.

Russian occupation

A portion of the Baku-Supsa pipeline – operated by BP – has been placed under Russian control. Despite the pipeline being laid in Georgia, through the installation of border signs, it now appears to be occupied by the Russians, and consequently making the important pipeline under their control.

"We have long had a talk with the premier on this topic, when a barbwire fencing was planned to be set here and there could appear a problem for the pipeline. If we see a problem in relation to this pipeline, we will be able to lay a new one. The project exists and if there are problems, we will implement this project.”

Border signs

The locals of Georgia have not been sold on this idea it seems, after the instillation of border signs around villages, which saw the pipeline under Russian control. As a result, the border signs prevented the locals from entering their wheat fields, and were left without access to their cattle as approximately 70% of their fields had been placed under Russian control.

Sources http://www.news.az/articles/99535, http://agenda.ge/news/38844/eng edited by Stephanie Roker

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/13072015/baku-supsa-pipeline-updates/