Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) plans to build a second oil pipeline to Turkey, having just completed the first pipeline to carry oil out of the Kurdish region of northern Iraq to Turkey.
The 1 million bpd oil pipeline to Turkey鈥檚 Ceyhan port will provide an export link that bypasses Baghdad and Iraq鈥檚 existing network, connecting the region鈥檚 oil and gas to Turkey and the world market.
Ashti Hawrami, KRG鈥檚 Natural Resources Minister, said Kurdistan would monitor its crude oil exports independently of the central government in Baghdad once a new pipeline to Turkey is opened, and said that line would link to the existing Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline and make use of its spare capacity.
Kurdistan鈥檚 push for independence
Ashti Hawrami told reporters at a recent energy conference in Istanbul, 鈥淏etween 18 months to two years from now the pipeline from our region to Ceyhan will be ready.鈥� Hawrami added, 鈥淥il and gas exports are not the monopoly of anyone in Baghdad. It is our duty to pursue oil and gas routed independently鈥urkey has been the quickest to recognise the new realities of the region.鈥�
Opposition
The Iraqi Government has opposed the pipeline and most of Kurdistan鈥檚 oil deal with foreign companies, fearing that economic independence will break up the three northern provinces and set them towards a possible independent state.
Hussein Shahristani, Iraq鈥檚 Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs said, 鈥淭he Iraqi Government strongly opposes Kurdistan鈥檚 independent plans to build oil pipelines into Turkey.鈥� He added, 鈥淭urkey is aware of Iraq鈥檚 concern and absolute rejection of that plan鈥�.
Edited from various sources by