Oil Minister to Turkiye to expand Iraq's export routes
Shafaq News- Baghdad
Iraq's Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair al-Abbadi travelled to Turkiye on Saturday at the head of a senior delegation to finalise talks and sign an agreement on the transport and loading of Iraqi crude oil through the Iraq-Turkiye pipeline to the port of Ceyhan, according to an official statement.
Al-Abbadi said the visit aims to expand Iraqi crude export outlets and maximise financial revenues from exports to support the state budget, coinciding with disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz that have strained global energy supply chains.
The visit falls within broader ministerial efforts to strengthen cooperation with Turkiye on the export agreement, increase export capacity, and reduce dependence on traditional transit routes by securing alternative options, the statement added.
The two sides are also set to discuss joint project development and expanded cooperation in oil, gas, and infrastructure, to advance shared interests and enhance economic stability for both countries.
The trip follows the expiry of the previous pipeline agreement on July 27, and comes as both governments work to ensure continued crude flow and deepen energy sector ties.
Al-Abbadi had discussed the agreement with Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Alparslan Bayraktar in Baghdad on July 9. Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi visited Turkiye last week at the head of a senior government delegation and met with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, with talks covering security, economic, and investment cooperation, as well as oil, energy, and trade.
A senior official at the state-owned North Oil Company disclosed to Shafaq News on June 24 that the Iraq-Turkiye pipeline running from Kirkuk to Ceyhan had been fully prepared, with a test pumping phase set to begin within two weeks ahead of a stable resumption of exports.
