Statoil Named as Shah Deniz Operator Company

(Tbilisi. February 28, 2003. Civil Georgia) – Norway’s Statoil has been named commercial operator covering gas sales, contract administration and business development for Azerbaijan’s Shah Deniz gas and condensate field in the Caspian Sea.

The Statoil reports that the company will be commercial operator for business development and administration of the South Caucasus Pipeline Company (SCPC).

The SCPC will pipe gas from Baku via Georgia to Turkey in a 690-kilometre line due to begin operating in 2006, which will be laid alongside the planned Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline.

Statoil and BP each have a quarter share in the gas field and the South Caucasus Pipeline Company.