Oil flow restored through Iraq-Türkiye pipeline following regional accord

Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar announced that oil supplies through the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline have resumed as of the morning of September 27.

He shared the update on the Turkish social media platform NSosyal, confirming that “as of 7:07 a.m., oil supply through the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline has resumed”, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

Bayraktar explained that the pipeline had been suspended following the earthquakes on February 6, 2023. On October 4, 2023, BOTAŞ completed work to restore the pipeline to operational readiness.

Earlier reports from Iraqi media noted that oil exports from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) fields had restarted at the Fishkhabur oil field, with participation from representatives of the KRG, Iraq’s central government, and several oil companies. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani also confirmed that oil produced at KRG fields would now be exported via the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline.

Exports had been halted following a 2023 ruling by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), which required Türkiye to pay Baghdad $1.5 billion in damages for unauthorised KRG oil exports conducted between 2014 and 2018. Ankara has appealed the decision, maintaining that the ICC recognised most of its claims and consistently signalled its readiness to restart the pipeline.

In July, Türkiye submitted a draft proposal to Baghdad to renew and expand bilateral energy cooperation, covering oil, gas, petrochemicals, and electricity.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomed the agreement, highlighting Washington’s role in facilitating the breakthrough. “We commend the decisive efforts of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and senior officials of the Government of Iraq, as well as KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and senior KRG officials, to make this progress possible,” Rubio said.

He added that the accord would “strengthen the mutually beneficial economic partnership between the United States and Iraq, encourage a more stable investment environment throughout Iraq for U.S. companies, enhance regional energy security, and reinforce Iraq’s sovereignty.”

According to the Iraqi Oil Ministry, all crude produced in KRG fields — except volumes reserved for domestic consumption — will now be delivered to SOMO for export through the Ceyhan pipeline. 

On September 24, eight oil companies active in KRG, representing more than 90% of production, reached agreements in principle with Iraq’s federal and regional governments to facilitate the resumption of exports.

By Tamilla Hasanova