BP Set to Complete Transfer of Baku-Supsa Pipeline Operations This Month

Baku — Energy giant BP is preparing to hand over operational responsibility for the Baku-Supsa oil pipeline to the governments of Azerbaijan and Georgia, marking the implementation of long-standing contractual commitments rather than a withdrawal from the project.

Speaking to reporters, BP Executive Vice President for Production and Operations, Gordon Birrell, said the transition is expected to be finalized in June and is being carried out in accordance with agreements signed roughly a decade ago.

Birrell emphasized that the move should not be interpreted as BP stepping away from the strategically important export route. Instead, he said, the company is fulfilling contractual obligations that require the pipeline’s operation to be transferred to its state owners.

Under the terms of the agreement, operational control of the Western Route Export Pipeline (WREP), commonly known as the Baku-Supsa pipeline, will pass to the governments of Azerbaijan and Georgia. Authorities in each country will then determine future operational arrangements.

Despite relinquishing operatorship, BP is expected to remain involved in the project through its existing contractual commitments and broader energy partnerships in the region.

The Baku-Supsa pipeline is one of the South Caucasus region’s key energy corridors. Stretching approximately 830 kilometers from Azerbaijan’s offshore oil fields to Georgia’s Black Sea coast, the route provides a strategic export outlet for Caspian crude to international markets while bypassing Russian territory.

Commissioned in 1999, the pipeline has played a significant role in diversifying energy transportation routes from the Caspian basin to Europe and remains an important component of regional energy infrastructure.

The transfer comes as Azerbaijan and Georgia continue to position themselves as major transit hubs linking Caspian energy resources with global markets.