Iraq is looking to significantly expand its oil export infrastructure, with plans to raise pipeline shipments through Syria and Türkiye’s Ceyhan port to more than 1 million barrels a day.
Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair said Iraq’s crude exports had reached roughly 3 million barrels per day in September. He added that the country remains within the production limits agreed under OPEC.
Iraq’s current production capacity stands at no more than 4.2 million barrels per day, Khudair said, stressing that Baghdad remains committed to the organisation’s production ceiling.
The proposed expansion would give Iraq additional routes to international markets, with pipelines running through Syria and onward to Ceyhan forming a key part of the longer-term strategy.
Khudair said the government’s future objective is to lift the combined pipeline export capacity through these routes beyond 1 million barrels per day, potentially giving Iraq greater flexibility in moving its crude to global buyers.
