[REVISION HISTORY]

Iraq expands oil export routes via Banias and Turkey

Updated 17 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-04 19:38 UTC → 2026-08-05 20:38 UTC · added ~~removed~~

By mid‑2026 Iraq ~~deepened~~ accelerated its shift ~~away~~ from the Strait of Hormuz, ~~routing~~ moving crude overland ~~and through pipelines~~ to the ~~Mediterranean,~~ Mediterranean via Syria’s Banias port and to Turkey. ~~Early~~ May saw tanker trucks resume Basra‑to‑Banias shipments ~~from Basra to Banias,~~ and ~~construction began~~ work begin on a 700‑km Basra‑to‑Haditha line ~~feeding~~ serving export points in Turkey, Syria and Jordan. In June the cabinet ~~approved a rapid~~ fast‑tracked an expansion ~~to lift pipeline‑based~~ that would raise pipeline exports from ~~roughly~~ about 220,000 bpd to ~~about~~ roughly 770,000 bpd within ~~75 days,~~ weeks, while ~~the oil ministry formalised Syrian ports for crude transfer and~~ daily ~~exports topped~~ export volumes reached 9 million ~~barrels.~~ barrels and Syrian ports were formalised for transfers. July brought a one‑year agreement with Turkey to keep the Kirkuk‑Ceyhan line ~~operating~~ at 750,000 ~~bpd and~~ bpd, a parallel deal on the ~~Ham (Silopi‑Ceyhan)~~ Silopi‑Ceyhan pipeline, ~~alongside a broader Turkey‑Iraq business framework~~ and a temporary protocol with the Kurdish Regional Government securing 200,000 bpd on the Kurdish ~~pipeline to Ceyhan.~~ route. Iraq ~~announced plans~~ pledged to ~~restore~~ lift output above 3 million bpd ~~within weeks after the US‑Israel‑Iran cease‑fire~~ and set a 7 million bpd target for 2029, ~~pitching~~ and the ~~goal to U.S. firms. The~~ United States, Iraq and Syria coordinated to revive the 800‑km Kirkuk‑Baniyas ~~pipeline, with a U.S.–backed Chevron‑led consortium slated to transport~~ pipeline for up to 2 million bpd once rebuilt. Parallel negotiations addressed a $1.5 bn arbitration penalty against Turkey and a new inter‑governmental treaty that could raise Kirkuk‑Ceyhan capacity under a temporary transit deal. bpd. In August, Turkey and Iraq signed a one‑year deal to ship at least 750,000 bpd ~~of Iraqi crude~~ via the Silopi‑Ceyhan pipeline, extending the ~~prior~~ transit arrangement ~~and aiming for higher daily volumes~~ while negotiating a longer‑term framework for oil, electricity and water. On 1 August 2026 the two countries concluded a broader one‑year framework to deepen oil cooperation. The pact aims for daily exports from the Kirkuk fields of over 700,000 bbl, potentially reaching about one million bbl, and calls for expanding the Kirkuk‑Erbil‑Ceyhan line to 1‑1.2 million bbl d and building a new Silopi/Habur‑to‑Basra pipeline as part of the “Kalkınma Yolu” corridor. It also highlights Iraq’s capacity to supply up to 65 bcm of natural gas to Turkey, with export revenues earmarked for health, education and transport infrastructure, underscoring the strategic importance of the partnership for Turkey’s energy security.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.