Iraq Raises Oil Flows Through Kurdistan Pipeline To Ceyhan
At a Glance
- Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are currently exporting about 450,000 barrels of crude per day toward Turkey’s Ceyhan port, according to information obtained by Channel8 from the North Oil Company.
- About 200,000 barrels per day of that volume comes from oil fields in the Kurdistan Region.
- Baghdad aims to increase exports through the northern route toward 750,000 barrels per day.
- Southern Iraqi crude is increasingly being transported north by tanker and pipeline to help raise volumes through the Ceyhan route.
Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are currently sending about 450,000 barrels of crude oil per day toward Türkiye’s Ceyhan port, according to information obtained by Channel8 from the North Oil Company.
Around 200,000 barrels per day of the flow comes from oil fields in the Kurdistan Region, while Baghdad is working to increase the use of the northern export route as an alternative outlet for Iraqi crude.
Kurdistan Oil Accounts For 200,000 Barrels Daily
According to information obtained by Channel8, approximately 200,000 barrels of crude produced in the Kurdistan Region are currently transported through the Kurdistan Region’s oil pipeline toward Ceyhan.
The remainder of the reported 450,000-barrel daily flow is made up largely of crude originating from southern Iraqi fields and transported north through a combination of tanker and pipeline networks.
Southern Crude Moves North
Around 450,000 barrels per day of Basra crude is being transported toward Kirkuk through tanker and pipeline routes, according to the information obtained by Channel8.
Of that volume, approximately 250,000 barrels per day is being moved by tanker through Kar and Qaiwan-related operations.
Around 200,000 barrels per day is transported toward Khurmala for onward export, while another 50,000 barrels per day is being directed by Qaiwan toward oil-related processing and production activities.
A further 200,000 barrels per day is transported by pipeline toward Anbar before being directed to refineries in Saladin and Kawrkosk.
Baghdad Targets 750,000 Barrels Daily
Iraq is seeking to significantly increase crude exports through the northern pipeline network toward Ceyhan.
In August, Iraq and Turkey signed a one-year agreement providing for the transportation and loading of at least 750,000 barrels per day of Iraqi crude through the Iraq–Turkey pipeline to Ceyhan. Iraqi officials described the agreement as a step toward a broader long-term energy framework.
The 750,000-barrel figure represents the agreed export capacity/target, rather than current confirmed daily shipments. Turkish officials said at the time that actual flows were significantly below that level.
Kirkuk Oil Remains Primarily For Domestic Use
Kirkuk’s oil fields are producing more than 325,000 barrels per day, according to the information obtained by Channel8.
Most of that crude is directed toward domestic refineries, including Baiji and Qarachogh, while around 50,000 barrels per day is currently being directed toward Ceyhan.
A Strategic Export Route For Iraq
The northern pipeline route has gained greater importance as Iraq seeks to diversify its oil-export options and reduce its dependence on southern maritime routes.
The Kurdistan Region–Ceyhan pipeline also provides a route through which crude from different parts of Iraq can be combined and transported to Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.
The Kurdistan Regional Government previously agreed with Baghdad to facilitate exports of both Kirkuk crude and oil produced in the Kurdistan Region through the Kurdistan Region–Ceyhan pipeline, with revenues from exports returned to the federal treasury.
Türkiye and Iraq have since agreed to maintain the pipeline arrangement for one year, with a planned capacity of 750,000 barrels per day. The two sides have also indicated that the agreement could serve as a bridge toward a broader energy partnership.
FYI
The reported 450,000 barrels per day now moving toward Ceyhan would mark a significant expansion of the northern route if sustained, particularly as Baghdad seeks to use available pipeline capacity to compensate for disruptions affecting Iraq’s traditional southern export channels.
The key distinction is between current throughput and planned capacity. Iraq and Turkey have established a framework for up to at least 750,000 barrels per day through Ceyhan, but reaching that level requires sustained crude supply from multiple sources, including the Kurdistan Region and southern Iraqi fields transported north.
For Baghdad, the route offers an important additional export outlet and potential protection against disruptions to maritime shipments. For the Kurdistan Region, meanwhile, continued use of its pipeline infrastructure places the region at the center of Iraq’s effort to restore and expand northern oil exports.
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Iraq Boosts Oil Exports Through Kurdistan Pipeline To Ceyhan
51 minutes ago