RE: Ops and Trading update6 Feb 2025 08:44
The Iraqi government, Kurdish authorities, and international oil companies have collectively welcomed a recent amendment to Iraq's federal budget, aimed at restarting oil exports from the Kurdistan Region through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline after a near two-year suspension.
On Sunday, Iraq's parliament endorsed a budget amendment to subsidize production costs for international oil companies operating in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan Region. This adjustment raises the compensation rate to $16 per barrel, significantly higher than the previous rate of $7.9 per barrel for transport and production costs.
The flow of oil through the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) pipeline was halted by Turkey in March 2023 following an International Chamber of Commerce ruling that required Ankara to compensate Baghdad $1.5 billion for unauthorized exports by the KRG between 2014 and 2018, which led to an estimated loss of $19 billion in revenue for Iraq.
In a statement, Basim Al-Awadi, spokesperson for the Iraqi government, relayed Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani’s appreciation for the "responsible and constructive step" taken by the Council of Representatives in approving the amendment. This measure, he said, bolsters political stability and showcases the high level of cooperation between the government and the Council of Representatives.
Sudani called on both the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Federal Ministry of Oil to immediately implement the amendment to optimize investment in natural resources, particularly oil.