Kirkuk oil exports unclear, but promising

KIRKUK, Iraq, Jan. 7 (UPI) — There are mixed reports on Iraq’s resumption of oil exports to Turkey, which were shut down last week because of full storage tanks, not security impediments.

The Iraq State Oil Marketing Organization predicts 400,000 barrels per day of exports starting this month, as Iraq starts setting prices for its Kirkuk oil with more consistent exports through the pipeline to Ceyhan, Turkey.


The export shutdown last week was “due to the fact that Ceyhan’s oil reservoirs are totally full with Iraqi crude oil,” a source from the North Oil Co. told the Voices of Iraq news agency.

The source added Iraq exports through the twin pipelines north was between 150,000 to 200,000 bpd, below the 300,000 that others have estimated.

UPI