Azernews.Az

The issue of providing security for the strategic conduit pumping Azerbaijan's oil to energy-thirsty world markets is under consideration, the NATO representative on South Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons said.
"Experts are now pondering what kind of assistance NATO could provide to protect the pipeline," he said.
Simmons did not rule out the threat of terrorists targeting the $4 billion pipe, which he said highlighted the need for safeguarding it.
He said NATO was taking crucial steps to ensure energy security for its member states.
"A part of the pipeline goes through Turkish territory where tensions have been high of late. The issue should be therefore taken seriously," the alliance official added.
The BTC pipeline opened in July 2006. When its full capacity is achieved in late 2008, it will transport one million barrels per day (some 50 million tons a year). The oil pumped into the conduit is produced from the major Azeri-Chirag-Gunashi fields in the Azeri sector of the Caspian Sea.