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Iraq working on alternate pipeline project to Turkey

Iraq's oil minister said on Friday his government was working on an alternative oil pipe-line project with Turkey as the Kirkuk-Yumurtalik pipeline has been rendered largely unusable by sabotage attacks.

  • Reuters
  • Published: 00:00 November 18, 2006
  • Gulf News

Ankara: Iraq's oil minister said on Friday his government was working on an alternative oil pipe-line project with Turkey as the Kirkuk-Yumurtalik pipeline has been rendered largely unusable by sabotage attacks.

"An alternative pipeline project has been launch-ed," Oil Minister Hussain Al Shahristani told reporters during a visit to Ankara.

The Turkish section of the existing pipeline will remain the same. The changes will only affect the Iraqi side.

Sabotage attacks have often interrupted the flow of crude through the pipeline since the US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003.

Iraq relies solely on its main southern Basra oil terminal for exports when the northern pipeline is out of use.

Al Shahristani said the Iraqi government was doing its best in very difficult conditions to protect its pipelines.

He said Iraq could utilise only eight per cent of its oil reserves and said the Iraqi government sought more cooperation with Turkey on oil exploration.

Turkish Foreign Minister Kursad Tuzmen said Turkey expected the Iraqi government to resume operating a second line of the Kirkuk-Yumurtalik pipe-line system that was damaged during the war.

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