BP says testing begins on BTC pipeline

BP spokeswoman Sheila Williams said that the "dynamic integrity testing" would involve "limited and intermediate flow" of oil through the BTC line, which usually provides some 1 million barrels per day of Caspian Sea crude to international markets.

The line, owned by a consortium of energy companies led by BP, has been closed for more than two weeks after a fire on its Turkish stretch. Kurdish rebels took responsibility for the blaze.

Williams said that the port in Ceyhan, Turkey, has been given orders to update its lifting program, which transports oil from the pipeline, to restart work from the beginning of next week, giving an indication of when the pipeline is likely to be fully operational again.

BP's options to export Caspian oil have been seriously curtailed by both the fire on the BTC line and the Russian military actions in Georgia.

/Associated Press/