One of the pipelines transporting Azerbaijani oil to the world market is the Western Export Pipeline or Baku-Supsa pipeline, which starts in Sangachal Terminal and ends in Georgian Supsa Terminal. This has been an integral part of Azerbaijan’s oil export system created after the signing of the Contract of the Century.
The pipeline transports oil produced in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea to the world market through Georgia. The oil is shipped to the tankers on the Supsa terminal and then to Europe through the Bosphorus.
The construction of the pipeline began in March 1996 following the signing of an intergovernmental agreement between Azerbaijan and Georgia and ended in November 1998. First oil was shipped in Supsa on the 8th of April 1999. The official opening of the pipeline took place on the 17th of April. The presidents of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Ukraine, and the US president’s adviser on the Caspian region attended the ceremony.
Supsa terminal and Varna-Poti-Batumi-Ilicevsk ferry passage were commissioned and the first tanker with 80,000 tons of Chirag oil produced in the Azerbaijani sector of the Caspian Sea departed on same day.
Key technical and economic indicators:
• Length 829.6 km (Azerbaijan – 456.4 km; Georgia – 373.2 km),
• The pipeline passes through the mountains at a height of 1190 metres,
• Shipping capacity 600,000 – 1,000,000 barrels,
• Capacity 90,000 barrels per day (maximum 106,000 barrels/day), diameter - 530 mm,
• The exploitation period expires in 2026,
• The pipeline is operated by Azerbaijan International Operating Company and developed by BP on behalf of the Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli partners.
• The pipeline is a part of the ACG consortium and has the same shareholders
The Western Route Export Pipeline (WREP) includes:
• 6 pump stations (3 in Azerbaijan, 3 in Georgia),
• 2 pressure reduction stations (Georgia),
• 10 Pig Launcher (4 in Azerbaijan, 6 in Georgia),
• 10 Pig Receiver (3 in Azerbaijan, 7 in Georgia),
• 53 block valve stations (25 in Azerbaijan, 28 in Georgia),
• 10 BPVs (3 in Azerbaijan, 7 in Georgia),
• 59 valves (including check valves along the pipeline),
• 1 intermediate pigging station (Azerbaijan),
• 4 tanks in Supsa (total volume – 1 million barrels).