Terrorist attack among possible causes of BTE gas pipeline explosion

A terrorist attack is among the possible causes of the explosion on the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum (BTE) gas pipeline in Turkey’s territory, the residence of the Turkish Kars province’s governor told Trend August 4.

The BTE runs through the Kars province.

The governor’s residence said that after the explosion the gas supply via the pipeline was suspended.

“No one was injured in the explosion,” said the governor’s residence, adding that the pipeline’s section, damaged by explosion, is currently being restored.

The explosion occurred on the pipeline’s section in the Sarikamis region of Turkey’s north-eastern province of Kars on August 4.

Turkey’s state pipeline company Botas, as well as the country’s energy ministry have not yet commented on the situation.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline, also called the South Caucasus Pipeline, is required to export Azerbaijan’s gas from ‘Shah Deniz’.

The pipeline starts at a terminal near Baku, going through Georgia, and ends in the Turkish city of Erzurum, where there is a gas distribution hub.

/By Trend/