Iraq approves Basra oil storage through Syrian ports
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – The Iraqi Council of Ministers approved on Tuesday a contract between Iraq’s Oil Ministry and the Syrian side to transport, store and handle quantities of crude oil through the Mediterranean ports of Baniyas and Tartus.
The decision forms part of a broader Iraqi strategy aimed at developing alternative export routes for crude oil and increasing export capacity through multiple channels.
Over recent months, Iraq’s Oil Ministry has announced plans and projects to direct oil exports toward Syria’s Baniyas port, alongside other export outlets, including Turkey’s Ceyhan port and Jordan’s Aqaba port.
The ministry has also begun implementing the Basra-Haditha pipeline project, which is intended to become part of a multi-directional oil export network.
The Iraqi Council of Ministers approved recommendations resulting from a meeting held on May 20 between Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and senior officials from the Oil Ministry. The recommendations included the development of a detailed plan to maximize Iraq’s crude oil export capacity.
Under the plan, Iraq aims to increase crude oil exports through pipelines from 220,000 barrels per day to 770,000 barrels per day in two phases over a period of two and a half months.
The plan also seeks to raise oil exports transported by trucks to neighboring countries to 420,000 barrels per day through three implementation phases.
The crude oil quantities covered by the project include Basra Light, Basra Medium and Basra Heavy grades, according to the approved recommendations.