Gio Cristofoli: SOCAR will become operator of BTC pipeline from July 1

The State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) will become the operator of the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline from July 1, BP"s Regional President for Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Türkiye, Gio Christofoli, told journalists, according to Report.

"The process of transferring the operation of the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline to SOCAR is proceeding on schedule. In accordance with contractual obligations, the transfer of operatorship is to be completed on July 1, and the process is moving forward as planned," he said.

The BP representative emphasized that this step does not mean BP is exiting the project: "This is simply the fulfillment of a contractual obligation. SOCAR has sufficient experience and capability to successfully manage the pipeline. We are very optimistic about this transition process," he added.