Iraq resumed condensate exports on Tuesday after a suspension caused by the Iran conflict and disruptions to regional shipping operations, the oil ministry said.
Deputy Oil Minister for Gas Affairs Izzat Saber Ismail announced that Basra Gas Company had loaded 50,000 cubic meters of condensate onto the tanker Dakosh, adding that the cargo was shipped in line with technical and commercial standards.
The tanker departed on Tuesday after completing technical and logistical procedures, he said in a statement.
“This achievement was made possible through coordination between the ministry, Basra Gas Company and related entities to overcome challenges and ensure smooth export operations,” Ismail stated.
He added that Iraq was working to maintain normal tanker traffic and loading operations in the coming days to stabilize exports and meet contractual commitments.
Separately, Deputy Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair said Iraq could restore more than 3 million barrels per day of crude exports to global markets within 168 hours if navigation restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz were lifted.
“This is not merely a technical figure, but a message of confidence to global markets reflecting the resilience of export infrastructure at Basra’s ports and offshore loading terminals in the northern Gulf,” Khudair told press agencies.
He added that Iraq continued to rely on infrastructure at its southern ports and emergency plans prepared by the oil ministry to maintain exports.
Khudair noted that Iraq was still exporting around 200,000 barrels per day from the Kirkuk fields to Turkey’s port of Ceyhan, while efforts were underway to ship additional Basra crude through Syrian ports.
Iraq had previously cut crude production to 1.5 million barrels per day from more than 4.2 million bpd after declaring force majeure following the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict on Feb. 28. Exports also fell to 200,000 bpd from 3.6 million bpd before the conflict.