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Page added on June 18, 2014
Sunni militants control ’75 percent’ of Iraq’s Baiji refinery
Sunni militants have taken control of most of Iraq’s largest oil refinery, located in Baiji in northern Iraq, an official at the refinery said on Wednesday.
“The militants have managed to break in to the refinery. Now they are in control of the production units, administration building and four watch towers. This is 75 percent of the refinery,” an official speaking from inside the refinery said.
He says clashes continue near the main control room with security forces.
14 Comments on "Sunni militants control ’75 percent’ of Iraq’s Baiji refinery"
Perk Earl on Wed, 18th Jun 2014 1:16 pm
Smart of ISIS to go after oil infrastructure and really slow witted of Iraqi forces to fail to better guard that facility.
They ask the US military to leave then fall asleep at the wheel.
HARM on Wed, 18th Jun 2014 3:26 pm
“They ask the US military to leave then fall asleep at the wheel.”
Which is just fine by me. Let the Iraqi government learn how to solve their own problems, and let the U.S. kleptocrat-oligarchs learn not to invade countries that have not attacked us and then lie us into wars of choice.
Davey on Wed, 18th Jun 2014 4:38 pm
That’s fine harm and I agree except Iraq is sitting on the last large easy to get oil. What will the soccer moms do without their minivans?
Juan Pueblo on Wed, 18th Jun 2014 6:36 pm
If the ISIS militants seriously damage the refinery, many in Iraq will suffer badly, particularly people living in Baghdad. The city will have a hard time under siege in summer, surrounded by enemies, with no fuel for generators and no electricity! Baghdad today with no refrigerators, fans, or A/C units will become extremely hard to live in. There will be chaos if this is not dealt with promptly. The Baiji refinery represents 25% of Iraq’s capacity and their products are mostly for domestic consumption. Baghdad and the surrounding areas will be hit the hardest. Iraq is a failed state and will break in pieces.
Iraq’s government can’t afford to lose the Baiji refinery, this would spell the end of Iraq as a single nation state.
Davey on Wed, 18th Jun 2014 6:50 pm
Very true Jaun, I was wondering where the Iraqis will get oil products without their national production. We know the ISIS will not care about the plight of those other Sunnis who need those products. Will the Shias bomb the refinery so the ISIS does not have the products. Will any experts work for the ISIS at this refinery. Not likely any foreigners
Makati1 on Wed, 18th Jun 2014 8:32 pm
This summer could see the destruction of that billion dollar ‘fortress’ embassy in Baghdad come tumbling down like the walls of Jericho and $120+ oil. There may be a lot of homes without A/C this summer and heat next winter and they will not all be in Iraq.
Davy, Hermann, MO on Wed, 18th Jun 2014 9:01 pm
One prime place to start with is the Philippians Mak when the food shortages start and energy is rationed globally. Tell me Mak what can the Philippians offer oil exporters? Maids?
rockman on Wed, 18th Jun 2014 11:53 pm
“This is 75 percent of the refinery,” an official speaking from inside the refinery said.” LOL. I suspect most here realize that maybe they control 75% of the grounds around the refinery. But you either control 100% of the refinery with no threat of attack or you’re just sitting on a bomb waiting to explode. Trust me: refineries have a habit of blowing up even when no one is shooting at it. LOL.
Makati1 on Wed, 18th Jun 2014 11:54 pm
Actually Davy, if you go to your local hospital and look around, you will find doctors and nurses from the Philippines taking care of your family and friends. You will find Filipinos in your oil fields as engineers and workers. You will find them in your retirement homes taking care of your older relatives. You will find them designing your malls and hotels. You will find Filipinos in all of the tech corporations as engineers and designers. But, you may find some as maids or nannies. look close. Likely they will be Mexican.
Since the Philippines imports only ~400,000 bbls/day from local countries like Indonesia, I don’t think there is any problems there. The Philippine economy is not as dependent upon oil as the US one is. That 400,000 bbls is about 1/20th, per capita, that the US imports and about 1/40th that they actually use. Most here, outside of the few cities, don’t own an oil powered anything. And, besides, they can just use coconut oil to make biofuel, if necessary, for commerce. That is their main export now. The second highest export is gold. Do you really think that they cannot afford oil even at double today’s price?
So, worry about your own country and not the Philippines or China. You have far more problems to overcome. ^_^
Davy, Hermann, MO on Thu, 19th Jun 2014 5:12 am
Mak, get a grip man, Indonesia will need its oil being past peak and a population and ecosystem mirroring the Philippians in degradation and overshoot. Have fun running your Filipino economy on biofuels. You will be eating the coconut not making a biofuel that takes more energy to produce than it yields. Sorry Mak the Philippians cannot feed itself and has no energy resources. It will be far back in the line for what remains when the global energy and food exports are insecure and dwindling. Your people are great I am not knocking them but don’t shove down my throat how special your adopted country itself is when in reality it is in a precarious situation with overshoot of carrying capacity on a bunch of ecologically destroyed islands.
Davy, Hermann, MO on Thu, 19th Jun 2014 5:18 am
Rock, I was thinking the same thing. Look at the BP Texas refinery and how it was prone to exploding from poor maintenance and without a civil war going on around it. I am sure that Iraqi refinery is not in the best shape for a variety of reasons. I doubt any foreign experts have remained and I doubt the ISIS has refinery experts in their pocket. Let us hope the ISIS wants the prize and is not interested in destroying it because a liquid fuel crisis in Iraq will not contribute to Iraqi oil production growth the global economy is desperate for now.
Juan Pueblo on Thu, 19th Jun 2014 8:20 am
Rock is correct as usual when on the subject. Nobody has control over the refinery at this time.
The Baiji refinery refines 300,000 bpd. That is 25% of Iraq’s refining capacity. If it remains closed for a long time, blows up, or is bombed, then Baghdad will be hit hard.
bobinget on Thu, 19th Jun 2014 8:28 am
Agreeing entirely with Rockman, I’ll add: the goal of ISIS was not to take over the refining process but to disrupt electrical and fuel supplies going into Baghdad
while air temps clime above 100 F and that’s at night.
I’ll bet the farm that refinery won’t be operational for months… or longer.
rockman on Thu, 19th Jun 2014 12:47 pm
To me that’s the $64,000 question: what is the ISIS short term goal? It would seem IMHO disrupting Baghdad’s cash flow would be #1. #2 might be making life so miserable for the Shia in Baghdad that they’ll overthrow the gov’t for the Sunnis. Then the next big question: long term goal. Control and share the oil revenue with the Shia or cripple the infidels by denying them oil?