Explosion strikes oil pipeline in Iraq

BAGHDAD – A bomb struck an oil pipeline Thursday, cutting off supplies and causing a huge fire in southern
Iraq near the border with Kuwait, an official said.

The pipeline carries oil from surrounding fields to storage tanks in Basra for export to the Gulf region, according to the official with the South Oil Co. But he said the tanks were full and export supplies had not yet been affected.


The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak to the media, said the explosion occurred about midnight and the fire raged for hours before it was extinguished in the afternoon.

He said oil had stopped flowing from the fields to the storage tanks but supplies were sufficient and exports were not affected.

AP