The Iranian Oil Terminals Co. on Sunday received its first cargo of crude oil from Azerbaijan to be transported via Iran, the Oil Ministry's Shana News Website reported Sunday evening.
Azerbaijan sent the shipment through Iran after conflicts due to security problems in Georgia disrupted oil transit routes through Turkey and Georgia, Shana said.
British Petroleum temporarily stopped oil deliveries through the Baku-Supsa pipeline, which transports 90,000 barrels of crude oil from Baku to Georgia's Black Sea port, in mid-August, according to Shana.
Azerbaijan awarded a tender for 300,000 tons of Azeri Light crude to Middle East Petrol, a Dubai-based oil trading and shipping company, Shana said.
If the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (Socar) exports Azeri oil through Iran, Middle East Petrol will take delivery of the oil at the Sangachal Terminal, which is south of Baku, Shana cited the International Oil Daily as saying.
Switzerland's Vitol Group, which has a long-term contract with Iran's Nikoo Consulting Inc. to deliver Azeri oil to Iran at the country's Neka port at the Caspian Sea, will then load an equal amount of Iranian light crude oil at Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, Shana reported.
Iran can currently transport up to 200,000 barrels of Caspian and Central Asian crude oil a day, and at very little cost can increase the figure to 500,000 barrels of oil a day, according to Shana.