Reuters: Kurdish oil delivery has yet to start

Despite the agreement reached with the central government, the export of the oil produced in the Iraqi Kurdish Regional Government fields through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline has not yet started, and some of the oil fields have started to stop producing.

After winning the arbitration case brought by Iraq, Turkey halted oil shipments from the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, to which the oil fields were connected, on March 25, at the request of the Iraqi central government.

Iraq brought an arbitration case on the grounds that it allowed the Kurdish Regional Government to export oil without the consent of the central government, thereby violating the 1973 agreement signed by Turkey.

Two days ago, Iraq and the Kurdish Regional Government reached a temporary agreement to resume the export of oil produced in the region. Some Iraqi officials stated that oil exports would begin immediately.

However, a source familiar with the region’s oil exports said that the decision to restart the flow has not yet been communicated to the pipeline operators.

‘IRAQ AWAITS RESPONSE FROM Türkiye’

Another source said that Iraq is waiting for a response from Türkiye.

Genel Energy announced today that it has halted production at the Sarta oil field in the region. The company had previously stated that oil extracted from the Tak Tak field, which it operates, is transferred to tanks and that if the line is not opened, production could only continue until April 21.

The sources had earlier stated that Turkey wanted a second arbitration case with Iraq to be settled before resuming flow through the pipeline. (Reuters)