Turkey's state pipeline concern Botas has put out a tender to prepare engineering work for the Turkish section of the Baku-Tibilisi-Ceyhan pipeline project that could carry 1 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude to Western markets. The project work will include a "detailed engineering design, environmental impact assessment and co-ordination of the securing of provisional rights to permanent land," an announcement in the Official Gazette said.

The Turkish section of the 42-inch, 1,730-km pipeline, which will cost $2.4-2.7 billion in total, will be 1,037-km long.

The estimated cost of $1.3 billion for the Turkish section will be met by the builders for which another tender will be invited by Botas after the prequalification work. Turkey expects up to $300 million in transit fees from the line.