Iraq aims to increase Kirkuk oilfield output to 1 mln bpd (updated)

Hao Bai International (Cayman)

13/11/2017 10:57

* Iraq to boost Kirkuk output to 1 mln bpd 
    * Kurds still not allowing Kirkuk exports via its pipeline 
    * Kirkuk oil exports still on hold 
 
 (Adds quote, details) 
    By Ahmed Rasheed 
    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 them from the Kurds last 
month.  
    On Oct. 17, Iraqi forces took control of the Bai Hasan and 
Avana oilfields 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. 
    "Kurdish authorities are still not responding to requests 
made by the oil ministry to use the Kurdish pipeline to resume 
exports from Kirkuk," Jihad said. 
    Iraq needs at least three months to repair an old pipeline 
which was shipping Kirkuk crude to Ceyhan port in Turkey. The 
main 600,000 bpd Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline had been offline since 
March 2014 following insurgent attacks.     
    Jihad said also the Kurdish natural resources ministry is 
not cooperating to return "necessary material" that was removed 
by Kurdish engineers before they fled the oilfields. 
    Iraqi government forces captured the major Kurdish-held oil 
city of Kirkuk on Oct. 16 in retaliation for a Kurdish 
referendum on independence which was widely opposed by Turkey, 
Iran and Western powers. 
     
 
 (Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; editing by Jason Neely and David 
Evans) 
 ((ahmed.rasheed@thomsonreuters.com; +964-7901-947-131; Reuters 
Messaging: ahmed.rasheed.thomsonreuters.com@thomsonreuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: MIDEAST CRISIS/IRAQ KURDS OIL