Iraq aims to increase Kirkuk oilfield output to 1 mln bpd -statement

Hao Bai International (Cayman)

13/11/2017 09:18

BAGHDAD, Nov 13 (Reuters) - Oil Minister Jabar al-Luaibi 
said Iraq plans to increase production from oilfields in Kirkuk 
to one million barrels per day and has visited the Bai Hasan and 
Avana fields to order work be accelerated to restore operations 
soon, the ministry's spokesman said on Monday. 
    Exports from oilfields in Kirkuk have been on hold since 
Iraqi forces took back control of the fields from the Kurds last 
month.  
    On October 17, Iraqi forces took control of the Bai Hasan 
and Avana oil fields northwest of Kirkuk, after Kurdish 
Peshmerga fighters pulled out from the region, security sources 
said. 
    On Nov. 2, the oil ministry requested that the Kurdish 
authorities allow Baghdad to use their pipeline to export Kirkuk 
crude but received no response, Asim Jihad told Reuters. 
 
 (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; editing by Jason Neely) 
 ((ahmed.rasheed@thomsonreuters.com; +964-7901-947-131; Reuters 
Messaging: ahmed.rasheed.thomsonreuters.com@thomsonreuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: MIDEAST CRISIS/IRAQ KURDS OIL