A+ A-

Turkey to keep BTC pipeline shut after blast

ANKARA, Aug 7 (KUNA) -- Turkey announced on Thursday it would keep the BTC pipeline shut for a two-week-period following an explosion that triggered fire until repairs are made, Anatolia news agency reported.
The blast occurred late Tuesday in a pump at a section near the eastern town of Refahiye, in Erzincan province.
The fire was likely to continue burning for another two days until the oil remaining in the pipe runs out, an official from Turkey's state-run oil and gas company BOTAS told Anatolia.
Repair work would then start and was expected to take between 10 and 15 days, the unnamed official said, adding that the cause of the explosion could be investigated only after the fire was extinguished. (end) mm.tg KUNA 072157 Aug 08NNNN