

Currently released so far... 12404 / 251,287
Browse latest releases
2010/12/01
2010/12/02
2010/12/03
2010/12/04
2010/12/05
2010/12/06
2010/12/07
2010/12/08
2010/12/09
2010/12/10
2010/12/11
2010/12/12
2010/12/13
2010/12/14
2010/12/15
2010/12/16
2010/12/17
2010/12/18
2010/12/19
2010/12/20
2010/12/21
2010/12/22
2010/12/23
2010/12/24
2010/12/25
2010/12/26
2010/12/27
2010/12/28
2010/12/29
2010/12/30
2011/01/01
2011/01/02
2011/01/04
2011/01/05
2011/01/07
2011/01/09
2011/01/10
2011/01/11
2011/01/12
2011/01/13
2011/01/14
2011/01/15
2011/01/16
2011/01/17
2011/01/18
2011/01/19
2011/01/20
2011/01/21
2011/01/22
2011/01/23
2011/01/24
2011/01/25
2011/01/26
2011/01/27
2011/01/28
2011/01/29
2011/01/30
2011/01/31
2011/02/01
2011/02/02
2011/02/03
2011/02/04
2011/02/05
2011/02/06
2011/02/07
2011/02/08
2011/02/09
2011/02/10
2011/02/11
2011/02/12
2011/02/13
2011/02/14
2011/02/15
2011/02/16
2011/02/17
2011/02/18
2011/02/19
2011/02/20
2011/02/21
2011/02/22
2011/02/23
2011/02/24
2011/02/25
2011/02/26
2011/02/27
2011/02/28
2011/03/01
2011/03/02
2011/03/03
2011/03/04
2011/03/05
2011/03/06
2011/03/07
2011/03/08
2011/03/09
2011/03/10
2011/03/11
2011/03/13
2011/03/14
2011/03/15
2011/03/16
2011/03/17
2011/03/18
2011/03/19
2011/03/20
2011/03/21
2011/03/22
2011/03/23
2011/03/24
2011/03/25
2011/03/26
2011/03/27
2011/03/28
2011/03/29
2011/03/30
2011/03/31
2011/04/01
2011/04/02
2011/04/03
2011/04/04
2011/04/05
2011/04/06
2011/04/07
2011/04/08
2011/04/09
2011/04/10
2011/04/11
2011/04/12
2011/04/13
2011/04/14
2011/04/15
2011/04/16
2011/04/17
2011/04/18
2011/04/19
2011/04/20
2011/04/21
2011/04/22
2011/04/23
2011/04/24
2011/04/25
2011/04/26
2011/04/27
2011/04/28
2011/04/29
2011/04/30
Browse by creation date
Browse by origin
Embassy Athens
Embassy Asuncion
Embassy Astana
Embassy Asmara
Embassy Ashgabat
Embassy Apia
Embassy Ankara
Embassy Amman
Embassy Algiers
Embassy Addis Ababa
Embassy Accra
Embassy Abuja
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Embassy Abidjan
Consulate Auckland
Consulate Amsterdam
Consulate Adana
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
Embassy Bujumbura
Embassy Buenos Aires
Embassy Budapest
Embassy Bucharest
Embassy Brussels
Embassy Bridgetown
Embassy Bratislava
Embassy Brasilia
Embassy Bogota
Embassy Bishkek
Embassy Bern
Embassy Berlin
Embassy Belmopan
Embassy Belgrade
Embassy Beirut
Embassy Beijing
Embassy Banjul
Embassy Bangkok
Embassy Bandar Seri Begawan
Embassy Bamako
Embassy Baku
Embassy Baghdad
Consulate Barcelona
Embassy Copenhagen
Embassy Conakry
Embassy Colombo
Embassy Chisinau
Embassy Caracas
Embassy Canberra
Embassy Cairo
Consulate Curacao
Consulate Ciudad Juarez
Consulate Chennai
Consulate Casablanca
Consulate Cape Town
Consulate Calgary
Embassy Dushanbe
Embassy Dublin
Embassy Doha
Embassy Djibouti
Embassy Dili
Embassy Dhaka
Embassy Dar Es Salaam
Embassy Damascus
Embassy Dakar
Consulate Dubai
Embassy Helsinki
Embassy Harare
Embassy Hanoi
Consulate Ho Chi Minh City
Consulate Hermosillo
Consulate Hamilton
Consulate Hamburg
Consulate Halifax
Embassy Kyiv
Embassy Kuwait
Embassy Kuala Lumpur
Embassy Kinshasa
Embassy Kingston
Embassy Kigali
Embassy Khartoum
Embassy Kathmandu
Embassy Kampala
Embassy Kabul
Consulate Kolkata
Embassy Luxembourg
Embassy Luanda
Embassy London
Embassy Ljubljana
Embassy Lisbon
Embassy Lima
Embassy Lilongwe
Embassy La Paz
Consulate Lahore
Consulate Lagos
Mission USOSCE
Mission USNATO
Mission UNESCO
Embassy Muscat
Embassy Moscow
Embassy Montevideo
Embassy Monrovia
Embassy Minsk
Embassy Mexico
Embassy Mbabane
Embassy Maputo
Embassy Manila
Embassy Manama
Embassy Managua
Embassy Malabo
Embassy Madrid
Consulate Munich
Consulate Mumbai
Consulate Montreal
Consulate Monterrey
Consulate Milan
Consulate Melbourne
Embassy Nicosia
Embassy New Delhi
Embassy Ndjamena
Embassy Nassau
Embassy Nairobi
Consulate Naples
Consulate Naha
Embassy Pristina
Embassy Pretoria
Embassy Prague
Embassy Port Of Spain
Embassy Port Louis
Embassy Port Au Prince
Embassy Phnom Penh
Embassy Paris
Embassy Paramaribo
Embassy Panama
Consulate Peshawar
REO Basrah
Embassy Rome
Embassy Riyadh
Embassy Riga
Embassy Reykjavik
Embassy Rangoon
Embassy Rabat
Consulate Rio De Janeiro
Consulate Recife
Secretary of State
Embassy Suva
Embassy Stockholm
Embassy Sofia
Embassy Skopje
Embassy Singapore
Embassy Seoul
Embassy Sarajevo
Embassy Santo Domingo
Embassy Santiago
Embassy Sanaa
Embassy San Salvador
Embassy San Jose
Consulate Strasbourg
Consulate St Petersburg
Consulate Shenyang
Consulate Shanghai
Consulate Sao Paulo
Embassy Tunis
Embassy Tripoli
Embassy Tokyo
Embassy The Hague
Embassy Tel Aviv
Embassy Tehran
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Embassy Tbilisi
Embassy Tashkent
Embassy Tallinn
Consulate Toronto
Consulate Tijuana
USUN New York
USEU Brussels
US Office Almaty
US Mission Geneva
US Interests Section Havana
US Delegation, Secretary
UNVIE
Embassy Ulaanbaatar
Embassy Vilnius
Embassy Vienna
Embassy Vatican
Embassy Valletta
Consulate Vladivostok
Consulate Vancouver
Browse by tag
ASEC
AE
AF
AM
AR
AJ
AU
AORC
AG
AEMR
AMGT
APER
AGMT
AL
AFIN
AO
AMED
ADCO
AS
ABUD
ABLD
ASUP
ASECKFRDCVISKIRFPHUMSMIGEG
APECO
AID
AND
AMBASSADOR
AN
ARM
AY
AODE
AMG
ASCH
AMCHAMS
ARF
APCS
APEC
ASEAN
AGAO
ANET
ADPM
ACOA
ACABQ
AORL
AFFAIRS
ATRN
ACS
AFSI
AFSN
ADANA
ASIG
AA
AX
AUC
AC
AECL
AADP
AGRICULTURE
AMEX
ACAO
ACBAQ
AQ
AORG
ADM
AINF
AIT
ASEX
AGR
AROC
ATFN
AFGHANISTAN
AFU
AER
ALOW
AZ
AVERY
BA
BY
BU
BR
BE
BL
BO
BK
BM
BILAT
BH
BEXP
BF
BTIO
BC
BBSR
BMGT
BTIU
BG
BWC
BB
BD
BX
BP
BRUSSELS
BN
BIDEN
BT
CW
CH
CF
CD
CV
CVIS
CM
CE
CA
CJAN
CLINTON
CIA
CU
CASC
CI
CO
CACM
CDB
CN
CMGT
CS
CG
CBW
CIS
CR
CONDOLEEZZA
CPAS
CAN
CWC
CY
COUNTER
CDG
CL
CT
CIC
CIDA
CSW
CHR
CB
CODEL
COUNTERTERRORISM
CTR
COM
CICTE
CFED
CJUS
CKGR
CBSA
CEUDA
CARSON
CONS
CITEL
CLMT
CROS
CITT
CAC
CVR
CDC
CAPC
COPUOS
CBC
CBE
CARICOM
COE
COUNTRY
CLEARANCE
CACS
CTM
CNARC
ECON
EFIN
ETRD
EUN
EFIS
EG
ETTC
EZ
EPET
EAID
EAGR
ENRG
ECUN
EU
ELAB
ECPS
EAIR
EINV
ELTN
EWWT
EIND
EMIN
EI
ECIN
ENVR
ELECTIONS
EINVEFIN
EN
ES
ER
EC
EUC
EINT
EINVETC
ENGR
ET
EK
ENIV
ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS
ECONOMY
EAP
EFTA
EUR
EUMEM
EXIM
ERD
ENERG
EUREM
ESA
ERNG
EXTERNAL
EPA
EINVECONSENVCSJA
ECONOMICS
ELN
EINN
EFINECONCS
ENNP
EEPET
ETRDEINVTINTCS
ENVI
ETRO
ESENV
ECINECONCS
ECONOMIC
EAIDS
EDU
ETRA
ETRN
EFIM
EIAR
ETRC
EAIG
EXBS
EURN
ECIP
EREL
ECA
ENGY
ECONCS
ECONEFIN
ETC
ETRDECONWTOCS
EUNCH
EINDETRD
IR
IZ
IS
IAEA
INRB
IRAJ
IQ
IN
IT
IMO
INTERPOL
ICAO
IO
IC
ITALY
ITALIAN
IRAQI
ICTY
ID
IPR
IWC
ILC
INTELSAT
IL
IBRD
IMF
IA
IRC
ICRC
ILO
ITU
ITRA
IV
IDA
IAHRC
ICJ
ISRAELI
IRS
INMARSAT
ISRAEL
ISLAMISTS
INDO
IZPREL
ITPHUM
ITPGOV
ITF
IBET
IEFIN
INR
IACI
INTERNAL
IDP
IGAD
IEA
ICTR
IIP
INRA
INRO
IF
KJUS
KSCA
KNNP
KU
KCOR
KCRM
KDEM
KTFN
KHLS
KPAL
KWBG
KACT
KGHG
KPAO
KTIA
KIRF
KWMN
KS
KG
KZ
KN
KMDR
KISL
KSPR
KHIV
KPRP
KAWK
KR
KUNR
KDRG
KCIP
KGCC
KTIP
KSUM
KPKO
KVIR
KAWC
KPIN
KGIC
KRAD
KIPR
KOLY
KCFE
KMCA
KE
KV
KICC
KNPP
KBCT
KSEP
KFRD
KFLU
KVPR
KOCI
KBIO
KSTH
KMPI
KCRS
KOMC
KTBT
KPLS
KIRC
KREL
KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KFLO
KBTS
KSTC
KTDB
KFSC
KX
KFTFN
KNEI
KIDE
KREC
KMRS
KICA
KPAONZ
KCGC
KSAF
KRGY
KCMR
KRVC
KVRP
KSEO
KCOM
KAID
KTEX
KNUC
KNAR
KNUP
KNNPMNUC
KLIG
KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG
KCRCM
KHDP
KGIT
KNSD
KOMS
KWMM
KPAI
KHSA
KTLA
KO
KMFO
KRCM
KCSY
KSAC
KTRD
KPWR
KID
KWNM
KRIM
KPOA
KCHG
KOM
KSCI
KFIN
KMOC
KESS
KWAC
KMIG
KSEC
KIFR
KDEMAF
KPRV
KBTR
KERG
KTER
KDDG
KPAK
KRFD
KHUM
KDEV
KCFC
KWWMN
KWMNCS
KJUST
MARR
MOPS
MU
MTCRE
MNUC
MY
MASS
MCAP
MOPPS
MAR
MPOS
MO
ML
MR
MASC
MX
MD
MP
MA
MTRE
MIL
MCC
MZ
MK
MDC
MRCRE
MAPS
MV
MI
MEPN
MAPP
MEETINGS
MAS
MTS
MLS
MILI
MTCR
MG
MC
MARAD
MIK
MILITARY
MEDIA
MEPI
MUCN
MEPP
MT
MERCOSUR
MW
MASSMNUC
MQADHAFI
NZ
NATO
NG
NI
NO
NATIONAL
NU
NPT
NIPP
NL
NPG
NS
NA
NGO
NP
NSG
NDP
NAFTA
NR
NC
NH
NE
NSF
NPA
NK
NSSP
NRR
NATOPREL
NSC
NT
NW
NORAD
NEW
NV
NSFO
NAR
NASA
NZUS
OTRA
OVIP
OPRC
OPDC
OSCE
OAS
ODIP
OIIP
OFDP
OVP
OREP
OFFICIALS
OSAC
OEXC
OPCW
OIE
OIC
OFDA
OSCI
OPIC
OBSP
OECD
ON
OCII
OHUM
OES
OCS
OMIG
OPAD
OTR
PGOV
PREL
PHUM
PINR
PTER
PSOE
PINS
PARM
PK
PBTS
PEPR
PM
POLITICAL
PARTIES
PREF
PBIO
PROP
PA
PSI
PINT
PO
PKFK
PL
PAK
PE
POLITICS
PINL
POL
PHSA
PU
PF
POV
PFOR
PHALANAGE
PARTY
PARMS
PRGOV
PNAT
POLINT
PRAM
PMAR
PG
PAO
PROG
PRELP
PPA
PCUL
PSEPC
PSA
PREO
PAHO
PGIV
PREFA
PALESTINIAN
PAIGH
POSTS
PTBS
PGOVLO
PORG
PGOVE
PLN
PINF
PAS
PUNE
POLICY
PDEM
PDOV
PCI
PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA
PBT
PHUMPGOV
PMIL
PNG
PP
PS
PHUH
PECON
POGOV
PY
PHUMPREL
PHUS
PRL
PGOC
PNR
PGGV
PROV
PTERE
PGOF
PHUMBA
PEL
RS
RU
RW
REGION
RP
RICE
ROBERT
RSP
RUPREL
RM
RO
RCMP
RSO
RELATIONS
REACTION
REPORT
RIGHTS
ROOD
RF
RFE
RIGHTSPOLMIL
SP
SA
SY
SF
SYR
SENV
SCUL
SOCI
SNAR
SO
SU
SG
STEINBERG
SHUM
SW
SMIG
SR
SZ
SIPRS
SI
SAARC
SPCE
SARS
SN
SYRIA
SANC
SL
SCRS
SC
SENVKGHG
SAN
SNARCS
SHI
SWE
SNARIZ
SIPDIS
SEN
SNARN
SPCVIS
SEVN
SSA
SH
SOFA
SK
ST
TPHY
TU
TRGY
TI
TX
TS
TW
TC
TFIN
TD
TSPA
TH
TT
TIP
TBIO
TSPL
TZ
TERRORISM
TRSY
TN
THPY
TINT
TF
TL
TV
TK
TO
TP
TURKEY
TNGD
TBID
TAGS
TR
UP
US
UNSC
UK
UZ
UE
UNESCO
UV
UNGA
UN
UNMIK
UNO
UY
UAE
UNEP
UG
UNHCR
UNHRC
USUN
UNAUS
USTR
USNC
USOAS
UNCHR
UNCSD
UNDP
USEU
USPS
UNDC
UNDESCO
UNCHC
UNFICYP
UNC
UNODC
UNPUOS
UNCND
UNICEF
UNCHS
UNVIE
USAID
UNIDROIT
Browse by classification
Community resources
courage is contagious
Viewing cable 07BAKU855, AZERBAIJAN’S RITICAL ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE
If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs
Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
- The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
- The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
- The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #07BAKU855.
Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin |
---|---|---|---|---|
07BAKU855 | 2007-07-09 12:12 | 2010-12-15 21:09 | SECRET//NOFORN | Embassy Baku |
VZCZCXRO6754
PP RUEHDBU
DE RUEHKB #0855/01 1901241
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 091241Z JUL 07
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3426
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 2243
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHDIR/IRAN RPO DUBAI PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY 0633
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 0610
Monday, 09 July 2007, 12:41
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 04 BAKU 000855
SIPDIS
SIPDS
NOFORN
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, PM AND S/CT
EO 12958 DECL: 07/05/2017
TAGS ENRG, EPET, PTER MARR, MASS, PBTS, IR, AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN’S RITICAL ENERGY INFRASTRUCTURE
VULNERABLE TO TERRRISM
BAKU 00000855 001.2 OF 004
Classified By: Charge d’Affaires Donald Lu per 1.4 (b,d).
¶1. (C) Summary: Senior BP officils believe that the Sangachal energy terminal and offshore platforms are vulnerable to terrorism. As BP Azerbaijan President Bill Schrader routinely tells U.S. officials, “all it would take is one guy with a mortar or six guys in a boat” to wreak havoc in Azerbaijan’s critical energy infrastructure. Although Azerbaijan has a system and plans in place to deal with security threats at its on- and offshore installations, the GOAJ’s plans are hampered by a lack of resources, a lack of coordination among GOAJ agencies, and a fundamental lack of recognition of the vulnerabilities. The GOAJ is eager for U.S. views on this topic and plans to present its own assessment of critical energy infrastructure security needs at the July 9-10 bilateral security consultations. We strongly recommend that the Department explore options to help Azerbaijan better assess these vulnerabilities, in line with the NATO Riga Summit declaration on energy security. End summary.
BP’S Views on the Vulnerabilities
---------------------------------
¶2. (C) BP, the operator for the Azerbaijan International Operating Company and associated Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Oil Export Pipeline, believes that the Sangachal terminal and Azerbaijan’s off-shore platforms are vulnerable to terrorism. As BP Azerbaijan President Bill Schrader has told U.S. officials in private conversations, “all it would take is one guy with a mortar or six guys in a boat” to wreak havoc in Azerbaijan’s critical energy infrastructure. The Sangachal terminal, a sprawling 800-hectare site roughly 45 km south of Baku, is one of the world’s largest integrated oil and gas terminals, and according to Schrader, the most vulnerable energy installation in Azerbaijan. The terminal -- easily accessible from Azerbaijan’s main north-south highway -- is still expanding and lacks a hard perimeter in the areas under construction. This, coupled with a large volume of trucks and personnel related to the construction and operations make access control and segregation inside the facility a challenge. Schrader said that an attack on the terminal, rather than the pipelines themselves, is his primary security concern, due to the catastrophic nature of the consequences.
¶3. (C) BP also believes that the off-shore platforms are vulnerable to attack. As Schrader has repeatedly told U.S. officials, “all it takes is six guys hijacking a ship and ramming it into a platform to bring production to a halt for months if not years.” Although commercial and military radars exist to give advance notice of an attack against an offshore production platform, there is no GOAJ or BP means of deterring such an attack. Discussions within the Azerbaijani Navy seem to be focused on pipeline vice platform security. The Navy leadership is focused on solutions to protect the sub-sea pipeline from terrorist attacks and underwater mining. GOAJ response capacity is hampered by a lack of resources and a lack of coordination between the Navy and the Coast Guard, the two GOAJ entities with primary responsibility for protecting the offshore installations.
THE GOAJ SECURITY PLAN
----------------------
¶4. (SBU) Coordination of security and contingency planning responsibility rests with the State Committee to Protect Pipelines, headed by the Prime Minister. The commission includes Representatives from various government entities including the Special State Protection Service (SSPS), Ministry of Defense (MOD) and Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES). The commission has had an emergency action/contingency plan in place since 2002, when it was created with the help of experts from the USG and from private industry. (Note: In December 2002 a pipeline and structures security seminar was held in Baku and included representatives from S/CT, DS ATA, EUCOM, and private
BAKU 00000855 002.2 OF 004
industry.) The commission holds tabletop exercises/trainings to drill and evaluate their plan on average every six months. The most recent exercises were held in November 2006 and February 2007.
¶5. (SBU) Responsibility for security at critical energy infrastructure sites is divided by location. Onshore pipelines and associated structures such as the Sangachal Terminal and BTC pumping stations are the responsibility of the SSPS, which is also responsible for the security of the president of Azerbaijan and high-ranking government officials. Offshore structures and pipelines are the responsibility of the Azerbaijani Navy and Coast Guard.
Onshore Facilities
------------------
¶6. (SBU) Along with the pipeline operators, SSPS is responsible for ensuring the security of the various pipelines in Azerbaijan, to include the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC), Western, and Novorossiysk (northern) oil pipelines, as well as the South Caucasus (SCP) gas pipeline and associated structures such as the Sangachal terminal.
¶7. (SBU) The Sangachal Terminal is located approximately three kilometers from the Caspian coast on a broad valley floor encompassing an estimated 800 hectares of land. The terminal continues to expand as new production platforms come on-line, and will eventually occupy most of the allotted land. Sangachal currently is the primary collection and redistribution point for most of the oil and gas produced off-shore, which accounts for most of Azerbaijani production. All of the major oil and gas pipelines originate in the Sangachal Terminal or the immediate area, making it the single most important structure for the movement and production of oil and gas exports. (The GOAJ and Azersun Holdings have plans to develop a second oil terminal with an initial capacity of 10 million tons at Garadagh, close to Baku. The GOAJ may also develop new commercial port facilities in the same area.)
¶8. (SBU) The BTC pipeline begins at the Sangachal Terminal and extends through central Azerbaijan, across Georgia and Turkey, to the port of Ceyhan. The Azerbaijani portion of the BTC is approximately 450 kilometers long and includes the Sangachal Terminal and associated pump stations.
¶9. (SBU) The Western or Supsa pipeline is a Soviet era line that is approximately 460 kilometers long in Azerbaijan and continues on in Georgia to the port of Supsa. The line is parallel to the BTC line for most of its route in Azerbaijan. The SCP gas pipeline generally parallels the BTC to its terminus in Erzurum, forming an energy corridor from Sangachal to the Georgian border.
¶10. (SBU) The Novorossiysk or northern pipeline runs parallel to the Caspian coastline up to the Russian border and is approximately 240 kilometers long. This pipeline is estimated to move approximately two million tons of oil a year versus the 30-35 million being transported with the BTC.
¶11. (SBU) Azerbaijan moves a small percentage of its oil, currently as much as 140,000 tons a month at peak use, by rail. This amount is expected to increase significantly as the flow of Caspian oil from Kazakhstan and to a lesser extent Turkmenistan increases as expected. The rail lines originate in the Sangachal area at rail on-load terminals and are transported over existing mixed use rail lines to Georgia. Responsibility for the security of rail transport is believed to lie mainly with the railroad authority.
SSPS
----
¶12. (SBU) SSPS is the prime protector of onshore energy infrastructure and has invested considerable resources to
BAKU 00000855 003.2 OF 004
ensure the protection of critical structures. SSPS has a annual budget of approximately USD 10 million and over 800 personnel dedicated to pipeline security. Investment by SSPS in training and equipment is expanding each year. Recent investments include the fielding of a Motorola TETRA communications system on the BTC and Novorossiysk corridors as well as the purchase of two helicopters and an additional 20 patrol vehicles. SSPS has nine regional branches to cover the two main pipeline routes (BTC/Western/Erzurum) and Novorossiysk. SSPS is also opening a new 200 hectare training facility near Baku which should give it greater capacity to conduct the training of pipeline protection personnel which average three months of training prior to deployment depending on ability and prior experience. The BTC and SCP pipelines themselves are equipped with state-of-the-art electronic monitoring devices which can detect minute changes in flow pressure associated with hot or cold taps or with losses of pipeline integrity.
¶13. (SBU) SSPS works closely with the BTC operators (primarily BP) to ensure pipeline security. The routine patrol coverage of the BTC segments located in Azerbaijan has been favorably commented on by BP and by SSPS, who feel that the overlapping of SSPS, BP maintenance patrols and local line minders was working well. SSPS is expanding its vehicle fleet for pipeline protection operations to 100 vehicles and will increase its horse-mounted patrol, used for the most rugged and remote parts of the pipeline, from 30 to 100 in the coming year. SSPS is proud of its record of low or no theft of product in the Azerbaijani segments, as compared to the line tapping problems in Georgia and Turkey, and lack of criminal and/or terrorist activity along the Azerbaijani sections of the pipelines.
¶14. (C) As noted above, the Sangachal Terminal presents some serious concerns. BP and SSPS work cooperatively to manage access to the facility, with SSPS manning a primary checkpoint on the spur off the main highway at the entry to the terminal area and BP controlling movement within the structure. The terminal is guarded by an SSPS detachment which patrols the perimeter on a 24 hour basis and has a 25 man armed react team on standby. The area is fenced and has CCTV coverage monitored by SSPS and BP. SSPS also has an elevated observation point located on an adjacent mesa, capable of monitoring the entire valley in which the Sangachal facility is located. According to SSPS, the Ministry of Defense has anti-aircraft capability and is responsible for the air defense of the area. Both BP and SSPS report that a number of physical security improvements are planned or underway for the facility to improve the control of vehicles and personnel both on entry to the terminal and within.
¶15. (SBU) SSPS recently conducted joint contingency training exercises in each of its regional areas with pipeline security elements from the regional offices for the Ministry of National Security (MNS) and the Ministry of Interior (MIA), as well as BP and the local regional administrations through which the pipeline passes.
Offshore Facilities
-------------------
¶16. (C) Protection of offshore energy infrastructure facilities is the responsibility of the Azerbaijani Navy and Coast Guard, although there is no clear delineation of responsibilities between the two. Many security and industry sources state that the Navy and Coast Guard take seriously their responsibilities to protect the production platforms and undersea pipelines, but lack resources. The navy maintains a patrol ship on alert on Jiloy Island, but appears to lack the capability to place a vessel continuously on station near the primary production platforms and as such would be unable to prevent or respond quickly to an event on a platform. The Navy currently has radar coverage in the platform areas that is planned to be enhanced by a feed from
BAKU 00000855 004.2 OF 004
the BP collision avoidance radars. The USG is currently assisting in the refurbishment of five Azerbaijani Coast Guard vessels and upgrades of radars and navigation/communications equipment on five Azerbaijani Navy vessels, which should be completed by next summer and which could increase the GOAJ’s response capacity, although delimitation and communication/coordination issues will remain.
¶17. (SBU) The USG has trained and equipped an Azerbaijani naval commando unit and continues to hone its skills with follow-on exchanges twice a year. This commando unit has the capability to respond to the platforms with rigid hulled inflatable boats (RHIBS) provided by the USG, but the lack of a mobile platform from which to launch them at or near the platforms severely limits their abilities to respond quickly to an emerging incident. BP maintains a 500 meter restricted zone around the offshore platforms, but if a violator moves into this area the only planned response is to shut down the platform. Currently the only regular patrol near the platforms is the standby boat operated by BP.
¶18. (SBU) The head of the SSPS, General Akhundov, outlined what he saw as the problem by contrasting the situation in the Caspian with what he saw on a trip last year to Norway. In Norway he saw a Norwegian navy vessel on active patrol around a group of platforms 150 kilometers from shore, and wondered why Azerbaijan could not do the same with the Chirag, Central Azeri, and East and West Azeri platforms. He also expressed concern about the pipelines as they neared the shore at Sangachal. The waters are extremely shallow for the first several kilometers, perhaps as little as five meters. The shallow water coupled with a number of fishing vessels make effective patrol and protection by the coast guard and navy difficult as the lines are readily accessible.
COMMENT
-------
¶19. (S/NF) The vulnerabilities of Azerbaijan’s critical energy infrastructure -- particularly at the Sangachal energy terminal and the offshore platforms -- are made more acute by Azerbaijan’s location next to Iran and the small, but growing number of indigenous extremist groups with ties to transnational terrorists. Although the January arrest of the “Mahdi Army” which had been working under Iranian instructions to provide information on Azerbaijan’s critical energy infrastructure highlighted some of these issues, we, like BP, believe that the Government of Azerbaijan does not fully recognize the vulnerabilities in its current energy infrastructure security arrangements. We also are concerned by the lack of clear delineation of responsibility for protection of offshore facilities. Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov plans to present a briefing on Azerbaijan’s energy infrastructure security needs at the July 9-10 bilateral security consultations. We view this briefing as an opportunity to begin a dialogue with the GOAJ on this vitally important subject, and strongly urge the Department to explore options to help Azerbaijan better assess these vulnerabilities, in line with the NATO Riga Summit declaration on energy security. LU