Baghdad sanctions Kurdish oil exports

ERBIL, Iraq, May 11 (UPI) -- June oil exports from the Kurdish regions of Iraq were sanctioned by the Iraqi Oil Ministry in Baghdad, the Kurdistan Regional Government said.

"I am pleased to confirm that (Sunday), I have received two letters addressed to the Kurdistan Regional Government Ministry of Natural Resources in Erbil, issued by the Ministry of Oil in Baghdad, which states that export of oil from the Tawke and Taq Taq oil fields in the Kurdistan region should be expedited," KRG Natural Resource Minister Ashti Hawrami said.

The KRG announced last week it would begin trucking 40,000 barrels of oil per day from Taq Taq, north of Kirkuk, to a temporary facility east of the Kurdish capital, Erbil, beginning in June. Exports would travel through the Iraqi-Turkey export pipeline on a temporary basis while work continues on a pipeline from the Taq Taq field.

Exports from the Tawke field would be around 60,000 bpd, the KRG added.

The issue of oil exports from the Kurdish regions of Iraq is a point of contention between the KRG and Baghdad, which views any unilateral moves in the oil sector as illegal.

The KRG statement last week, however, said revenue from the June exports "will be deposited to the federal Iraq account for the benefit of all Iraqi people."