Iraq Oil Exports Stand at 3.4 Mln bpd in Sep

Iraqi flag in front of an oil field. (AFP)
Iraqi flag in front of an oil field. (AFP)
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Iraq Oil Exports Stand at 3.4 Mln bpd in Sep

Iraqi flag in front of an oil field. (AFP)
Iraqi flag in front of an oil field. (AFP)

Iraq exported 103,143,199 million barrels of crude oil in September, generating 9.5 billion US dollars in revenue, the country's Oil Ministry announced on Sunday.

The average price of Iraqi crude oil in Sep. was 92.05 dollars per barrel, the ministry said in a statement, citing statistics from the State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO), an Iraqi company.

The average of exported quantities stood at 3,438,000 bpd in September.

The crude oil barrels were exported from oil fields in central and southern Iraq to neighboring Jordan during the month.

Iraqi oil exports from Kirkuk and the Kurdistan region through the Kirkuk–Ceyhan Oil Pipeline remained suspended since the end of March upon a decision by the Turkish authority after an international court decided that SOMO is the only entity authorized to manage export operations through the Turkish port of Ceyhan.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani stressed Sunday the necessity of completing expansion and maintenance projects for Iraqi oil ports.

During a meeting to follow up on projects and plans for developing the oil sector, Sudani stressed the importance of completing gas projects and expanding investment in Iraqi fields producing natural gas, for the purpose of supplying power stations and national fertilizer-producing factories with their gas needs.

The Iraqi PM further underscored the necessity of completing the refinery projects as quickly as possible, in order to reach self-sufficiency in oil derivatives and fuel.

Iraq’s Oil Ministry announced last week the increase in production capacity at the Karbala refinery to 140,000 bpd.



Oil Prices Set to End Week over 3% Lower as Supply Risks Ease

FILE PHOTO: An oil and gas industry worker walks during operations of a drilling rig at Zhetybay field in the Mangystau region, Kazakhstan, November 13, 2023. REUTERS/Turar Kazangapov/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An oil and gas industry worker walks during operations of a drilling rig at Zhetybay field in the Mangystau region, Kazakhstan, November 13, 2023. REUTERS/Turar Kazangapov/File Photo
TT

Oil Prices Set to End Week over 3% Lower as Supply Risks Ease

FILE PHOTO: An oil and gas industry worker walks during operations of a drilling rig at Zhetybay field in the Mangystau region, Kazakhstan, November 13, 2023. REUTERS/Turar Kazangapov/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: An oil and gas industry worker walks during operations of a drilling rig at Zhetybay field in the Mangystau region, Kazakhstan, November 13, 2023. REUTERS/Turar Kazangapov/File Photo

Oil prices fell on Friday, heading for a weekly drop of more than 3%, as concerns over supply risks from the Israel-Hezbollah conflict eased, alleviating earlier disruption fears.
Brent crude futures fell 55 cents, or 0.8%, to $72.73 a barrel by 0758 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were at $69.52, down 20 cents, or 0.3%, compared with Wednesday's closing price.
On a weekly basis, Brent futures were down 3.3% and the U.S. WTI benchmark was trading 3.8% lower.
Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah traded accusations on Thursday over alleged violations of their ceasefire that came into effect the day before. The deal had at first appeared to alleviate the potential for supply disruption from a broader conflict that had led to a risk premium for oil.
Oil supplies from the Middle East, though, have been largely unaffected during Israel's parallel conflicts with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza.
OPEC+, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia, delayed its next policy meeting to Dec. 5 from Dec. 1 to avoid a scheduling conflict. OPEC+ is expected to further extend its production cuts at the meeting.
BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions, downgraded its Brent price forecast on Friday to $76/bbl in 2025 from $78/bbl previously, citing a "bearish fundamental outlook, ongoing weakness in oil market sentiment and the downside pressure on prices we expect to accrue under Trump."
"Although we expect the OPEC+ group will opt to roll-over the existing cuts into the new year, this will not be sufficient to fully erase the production glut we forecast for next year," BMI analysts said in a note.
Also on Thursday, Russia struck Ukrainian energy facilities for the second time this month. ANZ analysts said the attack risked retaliation that could affect Russian oil supply.
Iran told a UN nuclear watchdog it would install more than 6,000 additional uranium-enriching centrifuges at its enrichment plants, a confidential report by the watchdog said on Thursday.
Analysts at Goldman Sachs have said Iranian supply could drop by as much as 1 million barrels per day in the first half of next year if Western powers tighten sanctions enforcement on its crude oil output.