BTC oil leaves Turkish ports

ANKARA, Turkey, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- Turkish state-run pipeline firm Botas International informed Azerbaijan it shipped its first tanker of oil from the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.

The BTC pipeline was closed from Aug. 6 because of a fire at a pumping station in eastern Turkey. Azerbaijan rerouted its oil exports through the Baku-Supsa and Baku-Novorossiisk pipelines, though their capacity prompted a sharp reduction in production from Azeri oil fields.

Botas International Ltd. said Wednesday the first tanker of oil from Azerbaijan left the Turkish port of Ceyhan, the Azerbaijan Business Center reported.

"At present daily delivery via the pipeline makes 850,000 barrels vs. a little less than 1 million barrels before the fire occurred. Since the BTC resumed activity, it has exported 2.5 million barrels of oil," Botas said.

The BTC oil pipeline carries about 1 percent of the world's supply of oil at full capacity.