Land Registration Assistance Services for AGT Pipeline

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Status: Completed

Full Activity Title: Consultancy Services, Land Acquisition, Outreach and Education/Land Registration Assistance Services for the AGT Pipeline in Georgia

Location: Gardabani, Rustavi, Marneuli, Tetritskaro, Tsalka, Borjomi, Akhaltsikhe, Adigeni

Activity Dates: April, 2002 – September, 2004

Sources of Funding: BP Exploration (Caspian Sea),  South Caucasus Pipeline Company, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Pipeline Co

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Project Abstract

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline transports crude oil from fields in the Caspian See, running from Azerbaijan through Georgia and Turkey to the Turkish port of Ceyhan. The South Caucasus Pipeline will transport gas from the Caspian Sea through Azerbaijan and Georgia to the Turkish and European markets. BP Exploration Ltd., operator company for pipeline construction, faced a need to acquire rights to land for both construction and operational period of BTC and SCP pipelines. Therefore, the company had to interact with all land owners and land users on pipeline routes.

APLR is the contractor of BP Exploration and is charged to provide assistance for pipeline companies in Georgia in the accurate and timely completion of all documentation related to the real estate transactions between landowners and BTC/SCP companies, to deliver technical and consultancy services with respect to land ownership and land compensation issues and to act as mediator between private landowners and pipeline companies in the land acquisition process.

APLR works closely with the land owners providing them with the overall description of the project, along with their rights, compensation/acquisition process and schedule. APLR newsletters, leaflets and magazine articles cover issues such as principles and methodology of compensation of land, harvest and perennial cultures, procedures of land rights acquisition, restrictions to land use, grievance procedures etc.

APLR provides land registration assistance for the AGT pipelines from the crossing point on the Azerbaijan border to the crossing point on the Turkish border. APLR is involved in the inventory of private parcels. APLR representatives participate in negotiations between landowners and BTC/SCP companies. APLR also works to identify views, concerns and needs of people residing within the construction corridor. Survey teams gather data on the use of state owned land by local population on the territories affected by pipelines. Landowners are given thorough explanations regarding real estate sale process. Meetings between notaries and landowners are arranged to ensure legalization of all documentation supporting sale of real estate. As a result hundreds of landowners receive compensation for their parcels.

Implementation of the project contributes to the protection of ownership rights of the population residing on pipelines route and facilitates successful operation of country's largest foreign investor.