BAKU, Azerbaijan, Feb.6. Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline continues its export operations, bp Azerbaijan told TurkicWorld Feb.6 commenting on the possible consequences of the devastating earthquake in Türkiye for the pipeline’s operation.

"BTC continues its export operations.The tanker loading operations at the Ceyhan Terminal have been temporarily suspended by the operator of the BTC pipeline in Turkiye (Botaş International Anonim Şirketi (BIAS). bp as manager of the BTC pipeline is deeply sorry to hear about the devastating earthquake in Southeast Turkiye and expresses condolences to the families and close ones of all those affected by this tragic event. We confirm that all bp staff in Turkiye have been accounted for and are safe," said the company.

BTC pipeline has transported 4,000,232,552 barrels of oil with 5,250 tankers from the start of commercial deliveries in 2006 until end-2022.

BTC supplied 200,467,463 barrels and 224,388,520 barrels of crude oil to the world markets in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

The BTC pipeline currently carries mainly ACG crude oil and Shah Deniz condensate from Azerbaijan. In addition, other volumes of crude oil and condensate continue to be transported via BTC, including volumes from Turkmenistan, Russia and Kazakhstan.

The BTC Co. shareholders are: bp (30.1 percent); AzBTC (25 percent); MOL (replaced Chevron as of 16 April 2020 (8.9 percent); Equinor (8.71 percent); TPAO (6.53 percent).

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake was recorded in central Türkiye on Feb. 6, 2023, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center. The quake’s epicenter was located 26 km away from the city of Gaziantep with a population of about 1.06 million. The source of the earthquake was 7 km below the surface.

Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority said that three more earthquakes with a magnitude of 6.4-6.6 rocked Gaziantep province in south-eastern Türkiye.

As many as 912 people were killed and 5,385 got injured in the quake. Furthermore, 2,470 people were rescued from the rubble.

As a result of the earthquake that hit Türkiye, strong tremors were also felt in Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Cyprus.