The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline (BTC) is 1,800 kilometers long and carries approximately 1 million barrels per day from the Caspian through Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey. With about 1.3% of global production, the pipeline is extremely important for Western energy security and for the economies of the countries through which it passes. This paper examines the safeguards and security challenges facing the pipeline and underlines the requirements for a comprehensive safety and security plan to prevent and mitigate supply disruptions. The paper argues that a comprehensive pipeline safety and security plan has the added benefit of promoting Black Sea/Caucasus regional cooperation and stability.