Iraqi oil exports resumed from Basra

The crude Iraqi oil exports resumed from Basra port to the south of the country after bad weather conditions caused suspension of oil loading operations for one day.

Lists of shipping agents revealed that exports were resumed at a rate of 1.4 million barrels daily on Tuesday evening.

But Iraqi officials said that the Iraqi oil exports from the northern parts of the country continued to be suspended following attacks since 11 days. They added they do not expect the flow of oil via north for other three days.

The officials added that the two oil pipelines which transport oil from the north were damaged among their path from Karkouk oil fields to a main pumping station near Beiji.

Exports stopped since December 18 following damaging attacks on the line which is able to transport some 500,000 barrels daily to the Turkish port of Jeihan on the Mediterranean.

Iraq produces some 2.5 million barrels of oil daily and has the second largest oil reserves in the world. But the repeated attacks against its oil establishments and oil pipelines since the occupation of the country has prevented the exportation of crude oil regularly to the world market.