TRIraq has asked Turkey to significantly increase the capacity of the Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline, according to Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar. The existing agreement governing oil exports via the pipeline is set to expire on July 27, prompting discussions on a one-year interim agreement. While Turkey has proposed a long-term agreement, negotiations have stalled due to Iraq's recent elections and government formation. Bayraktar stated that Iraq requested a capacity of 750,000 barrels per day, up from current levels of 180,000 to 200,000 barrels per day. Discussions also included expanding the pipeline to connect with Iraq's southern oil hub, Basra, and potentially allowing other regional countries like Kuwait to use the route. The pipeline has been involved in a long-standing legal dispute over unauthorized exports by the Kurdish Regional Government, with ongoing arbitration processes in both Paris and Washington.
Bias read (Center): The article presents information from both Turkish and Iraqi perspectives without overtly favoring one side. It reports on the technical and diplomatic aspects of the pipeline negotiations, including the legal disputes and potential future expansions. There is no clear ideological slant in the phras
