Türkiye is gaining importance as an alternative route for Iraqi crude exports as continuing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz pushes Baghdad to expand oil shipments through the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan.
Iraq currently exports around 2.6 million barrels per day from southern ports while producing more than three million bpd from southern fields, Basra Oil Company head Bassem Abdul Karim said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, around 250,000 bpd of Basra crude is being transported overland to Kirkuk before entering Iraq’s northern pipeline network and reaching Ceyhan.
Although the volume represents a relatively small share of Iraqi production, the shift has renewed attention on the decades-old Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline as an export corridor bypassing the Gulf.
Basra Crude Moves North Towards Ceyhan
Iraq launched a pilot operation in September using tanker trucks to transport southern crude to storage facilities in Kirkuk. KAR Group operates the programme before the oil enters the northern pipeline system.
During an initial two-day trial, 209 tankers carried more than six million litres of crude.
Furthermore, overland shipments have increased rapidly, rising from around 90,000 bpd in April to 140,000 bpd in May and approximately 250,000 bpd by September.
The Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, built in the 1970s, connects northern Iraq directly with Türkiye’s Mediterranean coast, allowing tankers to reach international markets without crossing Hormuz.
Ankara and Baghdad Expand Energy Cooperation
Türkiye and Iraq signed a one-year agreement on August 1 aimed at increasing use of the pipeline while negotiating a longer-term framework.
Under the arrangement, Baghdad plans to increase flows from around 220,000 bpd towards a guaranteed capacity of 750,000 bpd as Kirkuk production expands.
Additionally, Turkish Petroleum Corporation has secured a partnership stake in BP-operated Kirkuk oilfields.
Consequently, Ceyhan’s role is expanding as Iraq seeks diversified export routes while regional disruptions complicate traditional Gulf shipments.
