Iraq to supply 185,000 bpd via Iran-Turkiye pipeline: Reuters
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Iraq will export 185,000 Bpd from northern fields via the Iran-Turkiye pipeline, resuming shipments after a two-year halt.
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The Nihran Bin Omar oil field flare stacks burn north of Basra, Iraq, Wednesday, March 22, 2023. (AP)
Iraq is preparing to resume oil exports from the Northern region through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, with an initial allocation of 185,000 barrels per day (bpd) designated for export, an Iraqi oil ministry official informed Reuters. This marks the first phase of restarting shipments that were halted nearly two years ago due to disputes between Baghdad and Erbil.
The suspension began in March 2023 when Turkey halted pipeline operations following an International Chamber of Commerce ruling that required Ankara to pay $1.5 billion to Baghdad for unauthorized exports by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) between 2014 and 2018.
Recent amendments to Iraq's federal budget law—setting transport and production costs at $16 per barrel and requiring the KRG to transfer its oil output to the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO)—have paved the way for the resumption of exports.
Read more: Iraq-Turkiye pipeline set to restart after two-year dispute
Basim Mohammed, Iraq's deputy oil minister for upstream operations, explained that the current production capacity in the KRG oilfields is 300,000 bpd. A portion of this amount is reserved for domestic consumption, while the remaining 185,000 barrels will be exported.
Mohammed stated, "The quantity currently available for export from Kurdistan Regional Government oilfields is 300,000 bpd, part of which is allocated for domestic use, while the remaining 185,000 barrels will be designated for export."
The resumption of exports through the Iraq-Turkiye pipeline is expected to play a crucial role in stabilizing regional oil supplies and impacting international markets. Improved relations between Baghdad and the Kurdish regional administration have facilitated this development, signaling a step forward in resolving longstanding disputes over revenue-sharing and export rights.
This decision also comes amid reports of pressure from the Trump administration, which is allegedly pushing Iraq to resume Kurdish oil exports as part of its renewed "maximum pressure" campaign against Iran.
According to a Saturday report by Reuters, Washington aims to counter Iranian oil exports by stabilizing global markets with Kurdish crude, potentially adding over 300,000 bpd to international supplies.
Read more: US seeking to consolidate, expand presence in Iraq: Sayyed Khamenei
Despite reports of external pressure, Iraqi officials maintain that the decision to restart exports is based on national interests. Turkiye's Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar confirmed that Ankara is awaiting final confirmation from Iraq before restarting the pipeline.
