Iraq: Oil fields hit by fuel shortage

BAGHDAD: The halt of Turkish exports of electricity to Iraq and a lack of fuel for power stations is to blame for the blackouts hitting Iraq’s northern oil fields, the Electricity Ministry said yesterday.

The power cuts have forced Iraq to stop pumping crude oil along its northern pipeline to Turkey and knocked out its largest refinery, at Baiji.


Iraqi Oil Ministry spokesman Asim Jihad said he did not know when pumping would resume but that it would depend on the fields having a stable electricity supply.

Both Baiji and the Shuaiba refinery in southern Iraq, which was hit by a major fire on Tuesday, are out of operation. The two refineries supply the domestic market with gasoline, diesel, cooking gas and kerosene.

Iraq already suffers from chronic fuel shortages and has long struggled to meet existing local demand.

Gulf Daily News