Wafa Mohammed Karim, a member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, said the Kurdistan Region has the potential to export up to one million barrels of oil per day through its pipeline network, providing an alternative to relying heavily on seaports.
Karim explained that many of the long-running disagreements between Baghdad and Erbil, particularly those related to oil exports and revenue sharing, have now been resolved.
According to him, the dispute that began in 2014 over oil exports has largely come to an end following recent rulings by the Paris Court. As a result, attention is now turning toward restarting and expanding exports through the oil pipeline connecting the Kurdistan Region to Turkey.
He noted that the pipeline has the capacity to transport up to one million barrels of oil per day, making it a significant export route for Iraq’s oil sector.
Karim also highlighted several advantages of using the pipeline. He said transportation costs are lower compared to shipping oil by sea, which could increase overall profits. Higher global oil prices could further boost revenues from exports.
In addition, exporting through the pipeline could help Iraq avoid potential disruptions linked to recent regional tensions that may affect maritime trade routes and seaborne oil shipments.
He believes that strengthening pipeline exports would not only improve efficiency but also provide greater stability for Iraq’s oil exports during periods of uncertainty in the region.
