The Government of Georgia has submitted to the Parliament a fast-tracked bill to extend the legal operating period of the Baku–Supsa oil pipeline, aiming to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of the strategic infrastructure and align the timeline with Azerbaijan’s legislation. As Deputy Economy Minister Inga Phkhaladze explained, the current Georgian legislation remains valid until 24 April 2026, while the Azerbaijan section of the pipeline is authorized to operate until 7 June 2026. The new bill seeks to synchronize these deadlines by extending Georgia’s authorization to 8 June 2026.
The pipeline’s construction and operation agreement, signed in 1996 between the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation and international oil companies, is set to expire on 24 April 2026. However, because the Azerbaijan section’s contract remains active into June, Georgia must extend its own operational timeframe to preserve pipeline integrity and ensure seamless functioning during the transition period.
According to the draft law, the revised expiration date will be 8 June 2026. The government highlights that international oil companies and the pipeline operator have already agreed to the extension terms. Additionally, all operational costs up to the new deadline will be covered entirely by the oil companies and the operator.
The Baku–Supsa line, an offshoot of the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan pipeline, was commissioned in February 1999. Before the war in Ukraine, it transported around 4 million tons of crude annually; afterward, operations were suspended and later resumed at a reduced volume of 0.8–1 million tons per year. Meanwhile, BP is preparing to step down as pipeline operator, with the transfer expected by mid-2026. Ongoing negotiations consider two options: handing operations to SOCAR Midstream or returning them to the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation.s.
