(Iraq) Twin Pipeline To Turkey Rendered Useless, Says Minister

[Strelnikov_]

Sounds like those oil revenues are off the table.

Twin Pipeline To Turkey Rendered Useless, Says Minister
By Ibrahim Boazi
Azzaman, November 18, 2006

http://www.azzaman.com/english/index.asp?fname=news%5C2006-11-18%5Ckurd1.htm

http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/06/11/18/10083455.html

The twin pipeline which once used to carry more than 1 million barrels of Iraqi crude oil to terminals in Turkey is no longer of any use, according to Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani. Repeated rebel attacks and lack of repairs have rendered the pipeline useless, he said. The pipeline used to carry crude from oil fields of Kirkuk to Turkish ports on the Mediterranean.

But it was also linked to a strategic pipeline which gave the country the flexibility of shipping oil from the northern fields to southern terminals on the Gulf and from southern oil fields to terminals in Turkey via the twin pipeline. That possibility is no more with the destruction of the twin pipeline. With twin pipeline declared dead, the country loses yet another important chunk of its oil industry infrastructure.

The pipeline’s loss means that anti-U.S. rebels have finally succeeded in putting the gigantic oil fields of Kirkuk outside the reach of international markets, and denying the pro-U.S. government in Baghdad an important source of hard cash. The pipeline’s destruction will have far reaching repercussions on the country’s refining capacity already slashed to less than half of pre-war levels.


Iraq’s largest refining complex at Beiji, north of Baghdad, relies heavily on secondary pipelines linked to Kirkuk oil fields. Experts say rebels have recently intensified their attacks on these pipelines with the aim of putting them out of order for good. “That will reduce the country’s fuel production to a trickle,” one expert, refusing to be named, said.
Iraq now will have to solely rely on exports from southern terminals and oil production from fields in the south where rival Shiite militias exercise control. Fuel shortages are worsening in Iraq, though endowed with massive oil reserves.

[truthisfreedom]

1. Interesting. So effectively, bush has cut off all oil sales out of Northern Iraq.

That alone deserves impeachment. He broke the whole country.

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. At least Saddam

kept the oil flowing.

[seriousstan]

3. Who was it made the trains run on time?

[Tesha]

5. Benito Mussolini

The Fascist's Fascist:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benito_Mussolini

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism

[psychopomp]

6. Off-topic, but the trains were famously late under

Mussolini. Just one more reason for the fate he was dealt, I am sure...

[Judi Lynn]

4. Very interesting, yet no surprise, is it? It's a shame Iraq may have to

wait a couple of years before it can hope things will improve (that is if _Bush will agree to leave the position he has taken by stealth).

I curse the fools who supported this monstrosity in the beginning. It was wrong before it started. Everyone knew it.