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Iraq Reroutes Oil: Kirkuk Pipeline to Turkey Reopens
17 Mar
Summary
- Iraq plans direct oil exports via a 100-km pipeline section to Turkey.
- This Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline aims to bypass regional transit issues.
- The route could initially export 250,000 barrels daily.

Iraq is advancing plans to restore a disused pipeline to Turkey's Ceyhan port, enabling direct oil exports from Kirkuk. The Ministry of Oil stated that an inspection of a 100-km section is nearing completion, signaling progress towards reopening the route, which has been inactive since 2014 due to militant attacks.
This initiative aims to establish an alternative export pathway amid concerns over disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Once operational, the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline could initially facilitate exports of approximately 250,000 barrels per day, with potential to increase to 450,000 bpd if oil from the Kurdistan region is included.
Baghdad is also engaged in discussions with Iran concerning the transit of Iraqi oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. The government has expressed its intent to pursue legal action if Kurdistan Regional Government's conditions impede oil flow through the pipeline, a claim that Kurdish authorities have refuted.




