Oil Companies Signal Readiness to Resume Exports via Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline Pending Binding Agreements
“All payments must be made promptly and transparently,” APIKUR stated, “either in cash or through the transfer of each company’s entitlement share of oil ‘in kind,’” emphasizing that terms must be acceptable to both the IOCs and the KRG.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — The Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) announced Monday that its member companies are prepared to immediately resume oil exports through the Iraq-Türkiye Pipeline (ITP), pending the conclusion of binding agreements with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and the Government of Iraq (GoI).
In a statement, APIKUR welcomed the intensified negotiations between the KRG and Baghdad aimed at resolving the long-standing suspension of oil exports from the Kurdistan Region. The talks seek to secure a framework that would guarantee payment certainty and recognize the existing contractual rights of international oil companies (IOCs) operating in the Region.
On July 12, representatives from APIKUR member companies, along with other IOCs active in the Kurdistan Region, participated in a high-level meeting with KRG and GoI officials. During the meeting, the companies expressed readiness to restart exports as soon as agreements are finalized that reflect each company’s legally binding production sharing contracts and address outstanding payment arrears.
“All payments must be made promptly and transparently,” APIKUR stated, “either in cash or through the transfer of each company’s entitlement share of oil ‘in kind,’” emphasizing that terms must be acceptable to both the IOCs and the KRG.
“APIKUR member companies stand ready to resume exports as soon as written agreements are executed that honor our existing contracts which are governed by international law,” said APIKUR spokesperson Myles B. Caggins III. “APIKUR has always firmly held that our members’ production sharing contracts must be honored in every respect and members have never participated in any meetings with any governmental body suggesting otherwise.”
The announcement comes as pressure mounts on Baghdad to find a sustainable resolution to the oil export impasse that has significantly impacted the Kurdistan Region’s economy and broader energy markets. While no exact timeline was provided, both Baghdad and Erbil are currently engaged in intensive talks to reach a near-term agreement.
Oil exports through the ITP have been suspended since March 2023 following a ruling by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) that halted independent Kurdish oil sales. The ongoing negotiations aim to restore flows under a framework that satisfies both legal and commercial concerns.
