Kirkuk maintains 200,000 barrels per day as Kurdistan’s production declines

Sources in the North Oil Company revealed on Monday that exports of approximately 200,000 barrels per day of Kirkuk oil continue, with operational measures being taken to compensate for the decline in quantities coming from the Kurdistan Region.

Sources told Shafaq News Agency that approximately 30,000 barrels per day of total exports were pumped from the region, but the decline in production there during the recent period, as a result of the shutdown of a number of oil companies, has affected the volume of exported quantities.

She added that the North Oil Company resorted to compensating for part of this decline by transporting crude oil from the southern fields within Kirkuk Governorate, at a rate of about 50,000 barrels per day, which is transported by tankers to the “K1” station, to be pumped later through the Kirkuk-Kurdistan Region pipeline.

The sources explained that these measures are part of an operational plan aimed at maintaining the stability of oil flow and avoiding any sharp decline in exports, in light of technical and operational challenges facing some fields.

She explained that relying on tanker transport is a temporary solution to ensure the continuity of supplies until the shut-down fields are restarted and oil companies return to their normal operations.

The sources confirmed that the Kirkuk-Kurdistan Region line represents an important route within the export system, as it is used to transport part of the governorate’s production in addition to additional quantities supplied from other regions.

She stressed that the current stage requires coordination between the federal government and the Kurdistan Regional Government to ensure the stability of production and exports, given the importance of this sector in supporting the Iraqi economy.

Shafaq.com