BP confirms BTC oil shipments comply with quality specifications

BP Azerbaijan has confirmed that Azerbaijani oil transported through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline meets the required quality standards along the entire route to the Ceyhan terminal, following reports of possible contamination with organic chlorides.

The statement came in response to media reports citing BP Plc and Italian energy company Eni, which claimed that certain batches of Azerbaijani oil might have been contaminated with organic chlorides — chemical compounds sometimes used in oil production that can damage refining equipment if not properly removed.

“BTC Co was informed of a possible quality issue related to the content of organic chlorides in some batches of BTC blend oil,” BP Azerbaijan said in a response to local media. “Following this, BTC Co conducted a comprehensive assessment of oil quality at all facilities along the pipeline. The results confirmed that the oil meets the specifications at all sections of the pipeline up to the Ceyhan terminal.”

In addition to pipeline checks, BP Azerbaijan said the company also examined storage conditions at the Ceyhan terminal in Türkiye. “The results revealed the presence of organic chlorides in some of the tanks,” the company stated. “Appropriate measures have been taken in this regard. Plans are also being developed to completely eliminate the problem and investigate the situation.”

Currently, shipments from the Ceyhan terminal continue using tanks where the oil complies with all specification standards, and export operations via the BTC pipeline are proceeding normally.

BP Azerbaijan emphasised that BTC Co will continue to take samples before each shipment from the terminal to ensure that every batch meets established quality requirements.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline has been a major artery for Azerbaijani oil exports since it began operations. According to the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), a total of 612.2 million tons of Azerbaijani oil had been exported through the BTC pipeline as of July 1, 2025.

The pipeline primarily transports crude from the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) oilfield block and condensate from the Shah Deniz gas field. It also carries oil and condensate from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, as well as additional volumes produced by SOCAR in Azerbaijan.

BTC Co.’s shareholders include: SOCAR (32.97%), BP (30.10%), MOL (8.90%), TPAO (6.53%), Eni (5.00%), TotalEnergies (5.00%), ITOCHU (3.40%), ONGC Videsh (3.10%), ExxonMobil (2.50%), and INPEX (2.50%).

By Tamilla Hasanova