Iraq resumes oil exports to Turkiye

29 September 2025

Iraq has restarted crude oil exports to Turkiye after an interim deal broke a two-and-a-half-year deadlock over legal and technical disputes.

Oil started to flow through the Iraq-Turkiye Pipeline (ITP) at 6am local time on 27 September, according to a statement from Iraq’s Oil Ministry.

It said: “Operations started at a rapid pace and with complete smoothness without recording any significant technical problems.”

Oil companies operating in Iraqi Kurdistan reacted positively to the pipeline coming back online.

Baz Rauf Karim, chairman of Iraq’s Kar Group, said in a statement: “We welcome the resumption of oil exports through the KPC pipeline to the Port of Ceyhan, with marketing by Somo on global markets.

“This step is clear evidence that constructive coordination between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) benefits our country and our people.

“We extend our thanks to the [Iraqi] Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani, to the Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Region Masrour Barzani, and to everyone who contributed to this achievement.

“We hope this step will serve as a launchpad for unifying efforts, leveraging shared capacities, and building an integrated energy industry that strengthens a resilient economy and sustainable development.”

Under the terms of the interim agreement between Iraq’s federal government, the KRG and foreign oil producers operating in the region, 180,000-190,000 barrels a day (b/d) of crude will flow to Turkiye’s Ceyhan port, according to Iraqi Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani. 

The US had pushed for a restart, which is expected to eventually bring up to 230,000 b/d of crude back to international markets at a time when Opec is boosting output to gain market share. US secretary of state Marco Rubio welcomed the deal in a statement, saying it “will bring tangible benefits for both Americans and Iraqis”.

Oil flows through the ITP stopped in March 2023 after a Paris-based arbitration court ruled in favour of Baghdad against Ankara, saying the latter had breached a 1973 agreement by allowing Erbil to begin independent oil exports in 2014.

Prior to the halt of exports through the ITP in March 2023, approximately 450,000 b/d of oil were sent from Iraq via Turkiye to international markets.

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Wil Crisp
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