URGENT: Erosion of main pipeline stops Iraq’s oil exports through Turkey

KIRKUK / IraqiNews.com: Iraq ’s oil exports through the main oil pipeline, carrying Iraqi crude through Turkey , has stopped entirely, due to leakage, caused by erosion of the of the main line close to Salahal-Din Province, a source at Iraq’s North Oil Company in Kirkuk reported on Thursday.   “Oil exports stopped from Kirkuk since Wednesday morning, across the Iraq-Turkey oil pipeline, because of a case of leakage of crude oil from the main line,” the source told IraqiNews.com news agency, noting that   the “leakage happened at the limits of Shirqat township of the province of Salahal-Din .” He said that technicians were sent to the scene to replace the eroded part of the oil pipeline. He pointed out that “the quantity produced from Kirkuk oil fields before the suspension of exports was up to 600,000 barrels per day, while the exported quantities reached between 400,000 to 450,000 barrels per day.” The oil rich city of Kirkuk is 280 km northeast of Baghdad .