Türkiye could become an increasingly important outlet for Iraqi crude as Baghdad develops new export routes to reduce its reliance on the Strait of Hormuz and targets capacity of five million barrels per day.
Iraqi Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair said at the weekend that Baghdad had raised its crude oil export capacity to more than three million barrels per day (bpd), with exports reaching around three million bpd since 1 September.
The government ultimately aims to increase export capacity to five million bpd, but reaching that target will partly depend on the completion of two strategic pipeline projects designed to give Iraq additional access to the Mediterranean Sea.
One proposed route would link oilfields in southern Iraq with Haditha and Fishkhabur in the north, near the border with Türkiye.
Iraqi crude could then flow into the existing Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, reaching the export terminal at Ceyhan on Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast.
A second proposed pipeline would run westward from Haditha to the Syrian port of Banias, potentially reviving a historic energy corridor between Iraq and Syria.
If completed, the projects would reduce Iraq’s dependence on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Persian Gulf waterway through which a substantial share of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies pass.
Shipping through the strait has been severely disrupted by the conflict involving the U.S., Israel and Iran, driving up freight and insurance costs and heightening concerns over global energy security.
For Türkiye, increased Iraqi oil exports through Ceyhan could bolster Ankara’s ambition to become a regional energy hub, connecting producers in the Middle East and Caspian region with European and international markets.
The pipeline projects, however, remain at an early stage.
New pipelines would require significant investment, security arrangements and closer cooperation between Baghdad, Ankara and the Kurdish regional authorities in northern Iraq.
Iraq has an estimated 145 billion barrels of proven oil reserves and relies heavily on petroleum revenues to fund government spending.
Oil output fell from about 3.3 million bpd to around 1.3 million bpd during the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran that began in February, before starting to recover in July and August.
Iraq’s oil exports also recovered sharply in August, rising to around 2.34 million bpd from about 1.35 million bpd in July, according to Iraqi energy officials cited by Reuters.
If the proposed pipelines are built, the new routes could give Türkiye a central role in Baghdad’s efforts to protect its vital oil exports from instability in the Gulf while giving Iraq more options for reaching international markets.
Saudi Arabia has temporarily shut down its 1,200-kilometre East-West oil pipeline after it was hit by a drone attack, with Riyadh and Baghdad sayin...
Russia's Defence Ministry said its forces struck two cargo vessels overnight in the Ukrainian Black Sea port o...
Saudi Arabia is opening up to more international travellers as tourism expands beyond religious travel. In Riyadh, historic landmarks stand alongsi...
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, explosions were heard across parts of southern Iran according to local media reports.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the weekend BRICS summit, amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, joining a host of foreign dignitaries.
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia and a seaport in Dagestan in the past 24 hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday to discuss air defences for Ukraine over winter.
A Russian strike on a gas station in Kyiv has killed two people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said in a statement on Telegram. In Russia, online marketplace Ozon has suspended operations in Saratov, southwestern Russia, following a drone strike on a warehouse in the region.
Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks drew the U.S. into Afghanistan, the Taliban is seeking a new relationship with Washington built on diplomacy, investment and trade, despite deep divisions between the former enemies.
Uzbekistan plans to introduce a new Heritage Impact Assessment system to shield historic cities and cultural heritage sites from the potential impact of construction and infrastructure development. Digital tools will also be used to manage tourist numbers and limit visitors where necessary.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to deepening its partnership with the Gates Foundation, with talks spanning polio eradication, health, financial inclusion and digital development.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in New Delhi on Friday to attend the weekend BRICS summit, amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, joining a host of foreign dignitaries.
Georgia’s top security official has held face-to-face talks with his Azerbaijani counterpart in China, with both sides pledging to deepen intelligence cooperation amid growing global security challenges.
More than 46,000 people have been displaced in Yemen since fighting escalated last week, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Friday, warning that the number is rising “by the hour”.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment