APIKUR companies, which represent 60% of oil production companies in the Kurdistan Region, revealed on Thursday, March 6, 2025, details of a meeting with representatives of the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, regarding the resumption of the export of Kurdistan Region oil through the Turkish port of Ceyhan, and its proposed conditions in this regard.
A statement by APIKUR , a copy of which was received by Al-Jabal, stated that “representatives of the Kurdistan Oil Industry Association attended a meeting with officials from the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government, to discuss the restoration of oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline on March 6.”
“ APIKUR member companies conveyed their required conditions for resuming oil exports during the meeting, as additional meetings are needed to complete the agreements. The companies confirmed that they are ready to resume exports immediately via the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, once the conditions that have been repeatedly communicated since November 2023 are met, which stipulate that oil producers in the Kurdistan Region be treated in the same way as oil producers in federal Iraq,” the statement added.
The companies continued in their statement, “There is a need for fair and transparent agreements that include payment guarantees, transparent implementation of the provisions of the Iraqi budget law, and resolving the issue of late payments. Below are the companies’ conditions for resuming exports:
First: Guaranteeing payment for past and future oil exports
Companies need formal sales/lift agreements with buyers of any exported oil, setting out the terms and conditions and providing assurances that companies will receive full payment for the oil – even if it is in two installments. Agreements should also be in place that see companies paid for oil delivered but not paid for between October 2022 and March 2023. These payments should be made directly and transparently to companies, without intermediaries or undue delays.
Second: Maintaining the commercial and economic terms of production sharing contracts.
The existing company contracts are legally valid and their terms should prevail, the economic model within the production sharing contracts should be respected, the scope of work of the independent technical advisor, required under the revised budget law, should be agreed upon by all parties and limited to confirming the preparation of oil sales invoices to the companies according to the production sharing contracts, and there should be a formal, agreed-upon provision for resolving disputes within the confirmation process. APIKUR member companies have recommended consultants from independent international companies recognized by the KRG officials.”
“ APIKUR member companies stand ready to meet with all stakeholders and finalize the necessary agreements to resume oil exports,” said Miles B. Caggins III, a spokesman for APIKUR , according to the statement . “We appreciate the emphasis placed by the Sudanese Prime Minister’s government and the U.S. government to keep all parties focused on quickly restoring oil exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline to strengthen Iraq’s economy.”