Turkey: Iraq’ pipeline unusable because of attacks

The Minister , Taner Yildiz told reporters in a statement by Reuters , briefed by " Shafaq News "It is , of course, a loss for Iraq ," referring to the line which is controlled by Baghdad and pump an amount far below its full capacity which is 1.5 million barrels per day .

Iraq's oil exports fell last month as a result of supply disruptions from Kirkuk fields due to the exposure of the pipeline carrier for attacks after the country achieved the highest level of exports in 35 years in February .

The northern pipeline has witnessed frequent stop in the flow of oil and had been subjected to 54 attacks by the rebels last year, which reduced the level of expected exports level from Kirkuk.

Sources in NOC said late last month that the acts of vandalism caused stop in the flow of oil in the pipeline in early March as the escalation of violence has prevented technical’s from reforming damage .

As a result, industry sources said that one tanker and one shipment have been exported from Kirkuk crude through the pipeline in March, which means that the daily average is of 30 thousand barrels per day , down from 300 thousand barrels per day in February .

Thus the Iraqi exports amounted little more than 2.5 million barrels per day in March , down from February 's level of 2.8 million barrels per day , which was described by the Deputy Prime Minister for Energy , Hussain al-Shahristani as high standard rate.

North exports may increase if Kurdistan region began to export oil through the pipeline to Turkey . As an old dispute has not been resolved between Baghdad and Erbil yet.

Whatever the case, Kurdistan has agreed to export 100 thousand barrels per day through a network of Iraqi pipelines in April " as a gesture of goodwill " with the continuation of negotiations between the two sides .