BP to pump more Azerbaijan's oil to Ceyhan in May

The pipeline to Ceyhan is scheduled to pump about 21.8 million barrels in May, they said, up 2 million barrels or more from April. The May total would equal 703,000 barrels per day over the 31-day month.

"A chunk is due to increased production and a few barrels were deferred from April," a trading source said of the scheduled rise in shipments next month.

May's volume would bring exports through the pipeline, launched in May 2006, nearer the full amount planned by BP. Earlier this month, BP said the line had hit its full capacity of 1 million bpd.

The 1,768 km (1,099 mile) pipeline pumps crude from the giant Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli (ACG) group of fields in the Caspian Sea to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.

May's final loading volume will probably change as cargo owners move loading dates, the sources said.

Azeri exports from Batumi in Georgia in May are expected to total around 2.3 million barrels, they said.

There are no exports planned in May from Georgia's Supsa terminal, which has been closed since last year. Reuters