is facing delays because of the violence in the country, a member of OPEC.

An informed source with the company's state-run gas said in a statement to Reuters, seen by "Shafaq News" that “ The delays began a week ago as workers flee from pipeline project near the fighting sites.

The source, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject said that, "if the civil war expanded and the U.S. intervened military , it will likely stop the project temporarily ... at worst  , we may withdraw."

The United States ordered an aircraft carrier to head to the Gulf on Saturday to be on standby if Washington resorted to the military option after militants control areas in the north and progressed towards Baghdad. It seemed that the attack on Saturday by gunmen may cause tearing Iraq has slowed.

The South Korean energy ministry said in a statement that it will develop contingency plans for its projects in Iraq, including Akkas field after it has held an emergency meeting with oil and gas companies and related construction earlier on Sunday.

The ministry added that there had been significant delays so far and that this includes oil imports from Iraq. According to the ministry's statement that South Korea imported 9.23 billion dollars worth of crude from Iraq last year , the equivalent of 9.3 percent of its total imports.

According to Yonhap News Agency , KOGAS is considering selling a 49 percent stake in Akkas its wholly-owned. The company spokesman declined to comment on the report, but a source in the company confirmed that it had provided a plan to the government to reduce debt.