The United States-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce condemns any attempts by Armenian armed forces aimed at undermining safe delivery of energy resources to European markets.
WASHINGTON D.C. – The United States-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce expresses its deepest concern that major crude oil and condensate export pipelines connecting the Caspian Sea to European energy markets have recently become a target of artillery shelling by the Armenian military. USACC strongly condemns any attempts by Armenian armed forces which may interrupt or undermine the two major energy arteries – Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan and South Caucasus pipelines – that supply European energy markets with Azerbaijani crude oil and gas. Both pipelines are located 30 miles away from the conflict zone and have recently become a target for Armenian artillery.
Reportedly, on October 6 at around 6:30PM (GMT+4), areas in close vicinity of the major crude and condensate export pipelines came under artillery shelling by Armenian armed forces. Azerbaijani Armed Forces have successfully neutralized a 9M525 Smerch missile containing 300 9N235 bombs – cluster munition – before reaching the target; however, some of the containing munitions hit the 48-inch-diameter South Caucasus Pipeline near Aran settlement, Yevlakh region. Some parts also scattered 100-120 meters around from the Western Export Pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan Oil Pipeline.
Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan Oil Pipeline (BTJ)
The Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan pipeline carries oil from the Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli (ACG) field and condensate from the Shah Deniz field in the Caspian Sea to European markets. Since 2013, Kazakhstan’s crude has been transported to Europe through this pipeline. The 1098-mile long BTJ was inaugurated in 2006.
South Caucasus Pipeline
The South Caucasus Pipeline is the first link in the chain of pipelines along the Southern Gas Corridor. SCP transports natural gas from the off-shore Shah Deniz field to the Georgian-Turkish border. The 48-inch and 430-mile long pipeline runs through the same corridor as the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.
For question and comments, please email us at chamber@usacc.org
URL: https://usacc.org/press-releases/08-10-2020-1602192680/
