[1] In 1880, Dmitri Mendeleev proposed the construction of the Baku–Batum pipeline to ensure the transportation of Baku oil to the world market.
[4] In 1885, Ivan Ilimov established the Caspian and Black Sea Oil Pipeline company.
The concession to establish the Society of the Caspian–Black Sea Oil Pipeline was granted to Ilimov in December 1887.
The idea was backed by Azerbaijani industrialist Zeynalabdin Taghiyev who wrote a letter to Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Dondukov-Korsakov, the governor of the Caucasus.
Local businessmen led by Aghabala Quliyev set up a joint-stock company for the pipeline construction.
[2] On 23 May 1896, the State Council of Russia adopted a decision to construct the pipeline along the Trans-Caucasian Railway and preparatory works started the same year.
In 1925, the Soviet Union held negotiations with French companies to set up a joint venture to construct and operate the Baku–Batum crude oil pipeline.
Diesels for the pipeline were purchased from MAN AG, the pumps from Crossley and the generators from Theodor Bergmann.
[6] The pipeline was incapable of transporting oil in the planned amount and the capacity needed to be increased by 750,000 tons.
[7] However, in May 2001 Chevron canceled this project and started to ship its oil from Tengiz Field through the CPC pipeline.