IEA: Basra-Ceyhan oil route offers alternative to vulnerable Strait of Hormuz

The planned Basra–Ceyhan oil pipeline could become a strategic alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which has become increasingly vulnerable due to rising geopolitical tensions surrounding Iran, International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol told Hürriyet.

He noted that instability in the Hormuz Strait is pushing market participants to seek alternative oil transportation routes. According to Birol, the Iraq–Türkiye project could simultaneously provide Iraq with a stable export channel, strengthen Türkiye’s position as an energy hub, and enhance the energy security of European countries.

“After the war, the Middle East will not be the same. There will be significant changes in politics, the economy, and regional security. People will start looking for alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz. I believe the Basra–Ceyhan pipeline could become an extremely attractive project of primary importance for Iraq, Türkiye, regional energy security, and especially for Europe,” he said.

Birol also noted that oil fields in Iraq’s southern Basra province are among the largest in the world, with reserves of around 90 billion cubic meters of oil.

The pipeline project is being considered within the framework of Iraq’s “Development Road” initiative, which aims to connect Iraqi oil fields to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, enabling exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. According to estimates, the pipeline could transport up to 1.5 million barrels of oil per day.

By Jeyhun Aghazada