Shafaq News/ Technical and Engineering teams began replacing parts of the natural gas pipeline from the Ajil field in Saladin province to the company’s headquarters in Kirkuk, a senior official at North Oil Company reported on Thursday.

The official told Shafaq News that the company’s crews began replacing the corroded sections of the pipeline due to wear and aging of the transmission network. “These efforts are aimed at reducing the risk of leakage and halting flow, which incurs costs and waste of gas, as well as maintaining a safe, pollution-free working environment.”

The replacement process is also part of efforts to upgrade infrastructure and modernize the pipeline network to prevent any future gas leaks, such as the one that occurred last week, which was addressed and gas flow resumed promptly, the official further added.

A source from Saladin’s Environmental Directorate had reported to Shafaq News earlier that an explosion occurred in one of the natural gas pipelines in Ajil oil field, caused by the pipeline’s age.

The Ajil oil field resumed after a two-day halt due to the explosion in one of the gas pipelines caused by its age.