Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR has taken over operational management of the Western Route Export Pipeline (WREP) and the Supsa oil terminal in Georgia, ushering in a new phase for one of the Caspian region’s most important export routes. The transfer became effective on 8th June 2026, when responsibility for operating the assets passed to SOCAR Midstream Operations LLC under an agreement reached between SOCAR and the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation. The transition follows the conclusion of the operator agreement previously held by bp, which had overseen the infrastructure for several decades.
Commenting on the transition, SOCAR Midstream Operations CEO Farhan Aliyev highlighted the company’s commitment to maintaining existing operational performance and ensuring a seamless handover.
Meanwhile, bp Executive Vice President of Production and Operations Gordon Birrell stated that the transfer of operatorship of the Western Route Export Pipeline should not be viewed as bp exiting the asset, noting that the move represents the fulfillment of a contractual commitment established 10 years ago. The Western Route Export Pipeline continues to play a vital role within regional energy infrastructure, serving as a connection between the Caspian Sea oil-producing region, the Black Sea, and international export destinations.
The 829-kilometer (515-mile) Western Route Export Pipeline pipeline originates at the Sangachal Terminal near Baku and stretches across Azerbaijan and Georgia before reaching Supsa. Through this route, crude oil from Azerbaijan’s offshore fields is transported to the Supsa terminal on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, where shipments are loaded onto tankers and transported through the Bosporus Strait to European markets. WREP has a daily throughput capacity of 145,000 barrels per day, equivalent to 7 million tons annually. Its development followed the ratification of an intergovernmental agreement between Azerbaijan and Georgia in April 1996. Construction was completed in November 1998, commercial operations began in February 1999, and the Supsa terminal was officially inaugurated on April 17, 1999.
Although export volumes along the route have fallen in recent years when compared with Azerbaijan’s primary export corridors, the Western Route Export Pipeline remains a significant strategic asset by supporting export diversification and providing additional access to global energy markets. During 2024, approximately 1 million barrels of crude oil were exported through the pipeline. Official figures further show that since commercial deliveries began in 1999, WREP had transported a cumulative 738 million barrels (100 million tons) of crude oil as of April 1, 2025, underscoring the long-term importance of the route within the region’s energy export network.
