Cleanup at BTC Pipeline Nears Completion, Kazakh Oil Exports Expected to Resume

The cleanup of contaminated tanks on the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline is almost complete, raising expectations that Kazakhstan will soon resume oil exports via Azerbaijan, Orda.kz reports.

On August 16, Azerbaijani outlet Haqqin.az reported, citing the Turkish company BOTAS, that the tanks at the Ceyhan terminal had been nearly cleared and oil shipment schedules would soon return to normal.

The suspension had caused ripple effects in Romania, where two KMG International plants operate, and also disrupted supplies for Austrian OMV and Italian Eni.

The incident stemmed from chloride contamination in BTC crude. However, testing confirmed that oil from Kazakhstan’s Tengiz and Kashagan fields contained no organic chlorine compounds, ruling out Kazakh supplies as the source of the problem.

During the suspension, Kazakhstan redirected its shipments through the CPC pipeline. For Azerbaijan, the halt means financial losses.

According to Haqqin.az, BTC Blend exports from Ceyhan averaged 586,000 barrels per day in the first half of 2025, but August volumes are projected to dip below 500,000 bpd, with September output forecast at about 550,000 bpd.

S&P Global has noted a sharp decline in both quality and pricing of Azeri Light due to the contamination issue.

Once the cleanup is finalized, Kazakhstan is expected to return to the BTC route. The Ministry of Energy has yet to comment on the timing. Orda.kz has requested clarification from the ministry’s press service.

Original Author: Nikita Drobny