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Azerbaijan suspends pumping oil via Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline

06 August 2008 13:22 (UTC +04:00)

â€œTurkeyâ€™s Botas International Limited Company told BP Azerbaijan that fire had broken out on a Turkish section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, measures were being taken to extinguish the fire. The pipeline has not been damaged, since it has been constructed underground. Pumping oil via BTC has been suspended by request of Botas International Limited. Despite this, oil production and shipment of oil with tankers continue. The causes of the fire will be investigated after the fire is extinguished,â€ Tamam Bayatli said.
The spokeswoman said no casualties were reported.
Explosion occurred on a Turkish section of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline today. The fire has not been extinguished yet. The causes of the blast, which occurred in 52km of Erzincan-Sivas highway, are not known yet. The blast was followed by a strong fire. The flames were about 50m high. Spread of fire to the neighboring villages and forest strip was prevented. Transportation of oil via the pipeline and gas via the neighboring gas pipeline was suspended after the accident. The firefighters can not approach the site where the blast had occurred. They are waiting for the oil in the pipeline to burn down.