The decision to stop pumping was made after the conflict between Georgia and Russia spread from South Ossetia into areas surrounding the pipelines.
Georgia
BP puts Georgia operations on hold
BP shuts down Georgia pipelines
Energy giant BP says it has shut two of three pipelines that run through Georgia as a precautionary measure
Geogia: Oil pipelines at risk
Russia's vast natural reserves have allowed it to position itself as a rival to Middle Eastern nations in supplying energy to the West. However, its hostility to BP and Shell, which had supplied investment to begin exploiting its resources, have spurred Europe to look for alternatives.