In the first nine months of 2026, oil transit volumes from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) export pipeline reached 3.4 million tons, accounting for 18% of the total transit volume via this route, Orient.tm reported.
From January to September, the BTC transported 18.86 million tons of crude oil, of which 82% (15.46 million tons) came from Azerbaijan.
The steady growth in the share of Turkmen hydrocarbons in BTC transit volumes underscores the strategic importance of the Trans-Caspian route for Ashgabat.
Amid the transformation of global energy chains, diversifying export routes through the Caspian Sea allows Turkmenistan to expand its presence in European and global markets, bypassing traditional transit risks.
For the BTC infrastructure, the influx of transit hydrocarbon mixture from Central Asia compensates for natural fluctuations in production at Azerbaijani fields, ensuring high pipeline utilization and economic efficiency.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
October 19, 2026