Iraqi central government and KRG reach agreement on Kirkuk oil exports

The Iraqi central government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have reached an agreement on sending Kirkuk oil to Turkey via Northern Iraq. KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani announced that oil exports will resume through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, where shipments had been halted due to the war in the region.

Pointing to the extraordinary conditions the country is facing, Barzani stated that they have acted with a sense of responsibility to overcome the current crisis and that, within this framework, permission has been granted for KRG oil to be exported again as soon as possible. Stating that the KRG government continues its contacts with the capital Baghdad, Barzani emphasized that restrictions on imports and commercial activity, in particular, must be lifted urgently.

Drawing attention to the importance of providing the necessary guarantees for oil and natural gas companies in the region to resume production in a secure environment, Barzani said that the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East affect the KRG both directly and indirectly. Stating that they are not a party to the war taking place in the Middle East, Barzani expressed that they will nevertheless make every effort for the security of the region.

Noting that approximately 230 thousand barrels of oil per day are exported from the KRG and that this amount could reach a maximum of 500 thousand barrels, Barzani pointed out that this figure is lower compared to the export capacity of the Iraqi central government.

KRG administration is not against oil exports

In a statement this morning, Barzani had said that the KRG administration is not against oil exports, but that security guarantees are needed to maintain production in oil fields that have been damaged by attacks in recent times. Barzani had called on the Baghdad administration to stop the attacks targeting oil fields in the region.

News Source: 12punto