Baku-Supsa Oil Pipeline and Barbed Wire
Will a 1600 metre stretch of the Baku-Supsa oil pipeline end up in the territory controlled by Russia? According to reports in the media, should the Russian military continue to install barbed wire fencing using old maps, then the village Karapila, which is located next to the pipeline, will end up inside the occupied territory. According to a statement from the Department of Geodesy and Cartography at the Public Registry, Karapila is located in the Kaspi region, which excludes the possibility of it coming into the zone of occupation.
The Deputy Minister of Energy Ilia Eloshvili has stated that a part of the Baku-Supsa oil pipeline coming under the Russian control would not create significant economic problems for Georgia. He has confirmed that a 500 metre stretch of the pipeline is already in the zone of occupation. According to him, it would be a lot more dangerous for the border to be moved close to the main highway.
The Baku-Supsa oil pipeline was opened in 1999, and is operated by British Petroleum. According to a company statement, it has never had any problems operating the pipeline until now, and should there be a change in circumstances, then the State would be obliged to ensure the protection of the pipeline.