Iraq and Syria express Readiness to Resume Kirkuk–Baniyas Oil Pipeline Operations
Energy ministers agreed to assess rehabilitating the dormant pipeline linking both countries. A joint technical team will evaluate infrastructure needs to resume crude oil transfers between Kirkuk and Syria's Mediterranean port.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Iraq’s Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani on Tuesday announced his country’s readiness to work towards reactivating the long-idle Kirkuk–Baniyas oil pipeline during a meeting in Baghdad with Syrian Minister of Energy Mohammed Bashir and his accompanying delegation.
According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the two sides discussed bilateral cooperation in the energy sector, with Minister Bashir outlining Syria’s current energy situation. He stated that, in addition to domestic production, Syria imports around three million barrels of crude oil monthly to meet the needs of its citizens.
Bashir emphasized the strategic importance of reconnecting the Syrian and Iraqi oil networks, noting that the Kirkuk–Baniyas line is decades old and requires comprehensive rehabilitation. He stressed that this process would demand a multi-faceted approach to modernize the infrastructure.
For his part, Abdul Ghani reaffirmed Iraq’s readiness to resume operations on the pipeline, proposing consultations with a specialized body to determine whether the existing line should be fully restored or replaced with a new one.
Syrian Deputy Minister of Energy for Oil Affairs Ghiyas Diab said that pumping stations along the route are currently out of service and require complete renovation, including upgrades to pipelines, tanks, and pumps, as well as related electrical and civil works. He added that restoring the old pipeline in parallel with building a new one could enhance economic capacity.
Both sides agreed to assign a joint technical and advisory team to assess the current condition of the pipeline and to establish a central committee for direct coordination in managing cooperative projects.
At the close of the meeting, Baghdad and Damascus reaffirmed the importance of strengthening bilateral cooperation in the energy sector to serve mutual interests and contribute to the stability of the region.
