Explosion Halts Azerbaijani Gas Flow To Turkey

The BP-Azerbaijan energy company says the flow of Azerbaijani natural gas to Turkey via the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline has been halted after an explosion hit the line near the village of Sarikamis in Turkey.

Reports quote a Turkish official as saying the explosion occurred late on May 29.

No cause for the blast has been given.

Operations to repair the line have been launched.

Officials said the explosion has not affected the flow of gas from Azerbaijan's Shah-Deniz field to Tbilisi in Georgia, where the gas is transported before going on to Turkey.

Based on reporting by Interfax and AP