BP RESUMED exports of Azerbaijani natural gas through a pipeline across Georgia to Turkey yesterday. However, the company’s oil pipeline to the Georgian Black Sea port of Supsa remained out of action because of fears of fallout from Georgia’s conflict with Russia.

Both pipelines were closed by the British energy group on Tuesday amid concerns about security.

“BP began filling the South Caucasus pipeline again today because we believe it is now safe enough to do so,” said Toby Odone, a BP spokesman.

He said disruptions to Georgia and Turkey had been minimal because of gas stored in the line.

However, the 150,000 barrels-a-day (b/d) oil pipeline from Baku to Supsa is still closed because of doubts about safety at Georgia’s Black Sea ports.

Eka Sharashidze, Georgia’s economy minister, told Bloomberg that two Russian missiles had hit the pipeline south-east of Tbilisi. Russia denied bombing the pipeline.

Oil exports from Azerbaijan were cut last week after an explosion on the Turkish section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline to the Turkish Mediterranean, the main artery for Azerbaijan’s oil exports. Kurdish separatists claimed responsibility for attacking the pipeline, which was carrying about 850,000 b/d of oil to western markets.

Russia invited Azerbaijan on Wednesday to increase its oil exports through a pipeline from Baku to Novorrosiisk on the Russian Black Sea. Exports of Azerbaijani oil through the pipeline have slowed to a trickle since the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline began working in 2005. – (Financial Times service)