EXPERT: RESTARTING THE KIRKUK-BANIAS PIPELINE IS A STRATEGIC STEP TO STRENGTHEN IRAQ’S OIL POSITION.
Oil expert Riyad al-Nazzal confirmed in a press statement that “restarting the Kirkuk-Banias pipeline, which was built in the 1950s with a length of 880 kilometers and a production capacity exceeding 300,000 barrels of oil per day, is a step of strategic importance.”
In a press statement, Al-Nazzal pointed out that “the line has witnessed multiple political fluctuations since the tripartite aggression against Egypt, through nationalization operations, the Iran-Iraq War, the first and second Gulf Wars, and finally the international coalition’s war against ISIS.”
He added that “the pipeline is currently gaining significant importance for Iraq, strengthening its position among the world’s largest oil producers, with more than 3 million barrels per day.” He explained that it enables Iraq to avoid the risks of relying on the Turkish Ceyhan pipeline, which is affected by shifting interests and political balances with the Kurdistan Regional Government, or disturbances in the Red Sea when exporting through the ports of Basra. Meanwhile, the Syrian pipeline remains the least expensive and fastest option for reaching European markets.
Iraq has begun practical steps to restart the oil pipeline extending through Syria to Mediterranean ports, sending an official government delegation to Damascus to discuss rehabilitation mechanisms, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s media office. Through this move, the Iraqi government seeks to open new routes for its oil exports amid escalating regional and international challenges affecting energy flows.
