Iraq to resume north oil exports (01/03/05)

Iraq will restart crude oil exports from the northern pipeline to Turkey within 10 days, an oil official said. "The pipeline will start exports within 10 days. It was supposed to start earlier but there was a problem. Tomorrow they will start to build up reserves," the official said.

The reserves will be built up at 200,000 barrels per day and held in storage near the Turkish border, the official added.

Iraq has pumped little crude oil through the pipeline since a sabotage attack damaged the line on 18 Dececember 2004. The line resumed pumping briefly on 14 February, but was hit by sabotage again the following day.

"There's no sign of any oil at the moment," said a shipper in Turkey. Last Thursday, an Iraqi oil official said that exports through the line to the Turkish oil terminal of Ceyhan would resume within a week.