Daily Sabah: Turkey and Iraq Agree on Natural Gas Pipeline Project

Turkey and Iraq agreed on a new natural gas pipeline project. Energy Minister Taner Yıldız visited Iraq on Sunday to attend 17th Turkey-Iraq Joint Economic Commission meeting, which is held again after 9 years break, and hold official talks about ongoing energy partnerships. 

After Iraqi oil, Turkey will sell natural gas of Iraq to the world. Works of technical analysis on a new natural gas pipeline will start soon. According to economist Cemil Ertem, this natural gas corridor will be developed in the scope of the Southern Gas Corridor Project. Turkey also plans to build an industrial zone in Iraq. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Turkey and Iraq in Baghdad, which contains five new agreements to determine the areas of cooperation between two countries. 

Two neighbours also agreed to increase Iraq's oil exports via Turkey's Ceyhan port. On the subject of exporting oil from Iraq, Yıldız said: "We wish the Kirkuk-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline to operate at full capacity." The Iraqi Minister of Oil Adil Abdul-Mahdi said that the government will increase the crude oil delivery to Turkey's Ceyhan port via pipeline to around 600 million barrels per day by April. "Turkey contributes to Iraq's development with investments in various sectors," he said. "We would like to thank Turkey for its support." Yıldız insisted that Turkey will continue to support Iraq and will increase humanitarian aid to the country. MORE