Kurdistan oil to flow again within two days
Shafaq News/ Iraq is awaiting Turkiye’s approval to restart oil exports from the Kurdistan Region via the Ceyhan pipeline within two days, Iraqi Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani revealed on Monday.
Speaking to Reuters, Abdul Ghani emphasized that Iraq remains committed to OPEC+ production quotas, stating that “all exported volumes will remain under the control of the Oil Ministry.” He also clarified that Kirkuk’s oil production will be “reserved for domestic consumption” and will not be included in the exports via Turkiye.
Turkiye halted Kurdistan’s oil exports via Ceyhan Port in March 2023 following a ruling by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) that ordered Ankara to pay $1.5 billion in damages to Iraq for allowing Kurdish oil exports without Baghdad’s approval.
With negotiations between Baghdad and Erbil progressing, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) announced on Sunday the formation of a joint technical team with Iraq’s Oil Ministry to “assess the pipeline’s readiness for resumption.”
Meanwhile, the Iraqi Oil Ministry has “completed the necessary procedures for restarting exports” and has urged the KRG to hand over production volumes to Iraq’s state-run oil marketing company, SOMO, while the KRG delegation reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the recent amendments to Iraq’s federal Budget Law.
The Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) has reiterated its readiness to resume oil exports if Baghdad and Erbil finalize an agreement that “safeguards existing commercial and contractual terms for foreign operators in the region.”
Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein confirmed that Baghdad is “working to resolve technical issues with Erbil to restart crude flows” after nearly two years of suspension, which has cost Iraq an estimated $19 billion in lost revenue.
The United States has backed efforts to restart the pipeline, citing the need for “stable oil flows to global markets,” while Turkiye insists the pipeline is operational, stating that the final decision on resuming flows “lies with Iraq.”
