Introduction

The BTC pipeline project was predicated by the environmental and social objective of delivering Caspian oil to international markets without adding to the ever increasing growth in shipping traffic passing through the Turkish Straits. These Straits form the link between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean and bisect Istanbul, a UNESCO World Heritage city with a population of over 10 million. At full capacity the pipeline will avoid around 400 additional tanker movements a year, which approximates 35% of current tanker movements through the Straits. Historically, ...