BP unaware of pipeline bombing in Georgia
LONDON (AFP) — British oil giant BP said on Saturday it was unaware of Russian bombing near a major international oil pipeline in Georgia that it operates.
A BP spokesman told AFP: "We've seen reports attributed to a Georgian minister saying that the Russians have bombed the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline.
"We are not aware of that and I think we probably would be if it were true."
Georgian Prime Minister Lado Gurgenidze claimed earlier that the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline had been bombed by Russian planes during escalating violence over South Ossetia, without causing any damage.
BP operates the key 1,774-kilometre (1,109-mile) pipeline -- the world's second largest -- that carries oil from Azerbaijan to Western markets via the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.
It is capable of transporting 1.2 million barrels a day.
The BP spokesman said the pipeline had been out of action since Wednesday, but explained that was because of a fire caused by an explosion in eastern Turkey for which Kurdish separatists claimed responsibility.
"At the moment the pipeline is not running at any capacity, because there was a fire this week," the spokesman said.
Azerbaijan, which borders Georgia, announced Saturday it had halted oil exports via the Georgian ports of Batumi and Kulevi due to the fighting between Georgia and Russia.
