Ruudaw Television reported that the export will begin at 06:00 Moscow time on September 27, as the export meter was activated on line number 46 west of the city of Zakho, in the presence of expert specialists to monitor the exported quantities. An Iraqi North Oil Company source explained that the flow of crude to the port of Ceyhan would be swift if the pipeline is full, but if it requires filling, it will take one or two days. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani announced on Thursday that exports from the region through the international line are expected, while Oil Minister Hayan Abdul Ghani estimated daily exports at about 180,000–190,000 barrels.
It is noteworthy that the Iraqi government agreed on July 17 with the regional authorities to export its entire oil production, estimated at 230,000 barrels per day, through SOMO in exchange for fixed financial amounts. However, repeated drone attacks on the region’s fields since mid-July have led to a reduction in production by about 100,000 barrels per day.
It is also worth mentioning that the Kirkuk–Ceyhan pipeline, which came into service in 1976, provided about 0.5% of global oil supplies before its operations ceased in 2023 following the international arbitration court’s decision that considered Turkey violated its agreement with Baghdad by allowing the region to export oil without the federal government’s approval.
