On August 4, 2015 at night there was explosion on the section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline, which passes through Sarykamush region in Kars province on the northeast of Turkey.
The reason of explosion was unknown till the evening. Turkish state-run company BOTAS – the pipeline operator – has distributed no information.
According to State Oil Company of Azerbaijan, 8-9 hours before the explosion gas supply to this section suspended, because of the planned repair works (since August 2, 2015 BP has started gradual suspension of extraction on the Shah Deniz platform, because of the planned repair works). Therefore, explosion on the section of the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline did not cause damage to Azerbaijan. SOCAR added that it keeps in touch with BOTAS and the reason of the accident on the pipeline is being clarified.
Turkish Son Dakika TV channel has shown the footage of the accident with the black smoke and fire and the fire brigades. The witnesses said that they could hear explosion at a distance of 20 km.
If the gas pipeline had no gas, then nothing could burn in the empty pipeline for such a long time. The second question is if the pump stations on the pipeline have been disconnected 8-9 hours prior to the accident, then the version of explosion caused by technical reasons is ruled out.
Last afternoon Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Taner Yildiz told Anadolu agency while commenting on the situation on the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum pipeline that “the attack on the pipeline committed last night shows that the terrorists would like to deprive our citizens in all the regions of peace.” He added that the state will rebuff this act of terrorism.
This is the second act of terrorism on the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline in Sarykamysh province of Kars. On May 29, 2012 there was explosion on the gas pipeline and the Azerbaijani gas supply to Turkey was resumed only on June 8, 2012 and the volume of pumping was only 12 million cub.m. a day.
