Basra — Russia’s Lukoil has increased oil production at Iraq’s southern West Qurna 2 oilfield by 80,000 barrels per day (bpd) to a total of 480,000 bpd, an oil official told Reuters on Thursday.
Production rose after the completion of the connection of 47 new oil wells which boosted production, an Iraqi oilfield official said, adding that output could reach 500,000 bpd in a short period of time if required.
The increase in Iraq’s production comes as Turkey continues to halt Iraq’s 450,000 bpd of northern exports through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline.
They have been halted since March 25 after an arbitration ruling by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
Iraq is waiting for a final answer from Turkey regarding the resumption of the northern oil exports, which run from the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region to the Turkish port of Ceyhan.
Reporting by Aref Mohammed; writing by Ahmed Rasheed; editing by Jason Neely – Reuters
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