Baghdad: Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Minister of Oil, Hayan Abdul-Ghani, hosted Syrian Energy Minister, Mohammed Bashir, to discuss collaboration in the oil, gas, and energy sectors.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the ministers explored avenues for enhancing cooperation between Iraq and Syria, emphasizing the historical ties between the two nations and their importance for serving mutual national interests. Abdul-Ghani highlighted Iraq’s initiatives to diversify its crude oil export routes, noting the significance of the Iraq-Syria oil export pipeline, pivotal in past decades.

Abdul-Ghani detailed Iraq’s advancements in gas investment and oil refining, with plans to boost export capacity from southern ports and resume exports via Turkey’s Ceyhan port. He also mentioned studying export possibilities through Syria’s Baniyas pipeline and the Tripoli pipeline. The Basra-Haditha pipeline project, designed to transport 2.25 million barrels, aims to enhance export volumes and support Iraqi refineries requiring additional crude oil.

The Oil Minister declared Iraq’s achievement of self-sufficiency in gas and kerosene production, with expectations to achieve self-sufficiency in gasoline by year-end, eliminating the need for imports.

Discussions also included the status of the Iraqi-Syrian pipeline and potential use for crude oil exports. The ministers proposed forming a joint committee with an international consultant to assess the pipeline’s condition and rehabilitation prospects.

Syrian Minister Bashir expressed gratitude for the discussions, outlining Syria’s oil industry challenges and stressing regional cooperation for recovery, particularly in energy, oil, and gas sectors. He suggested addressing pipeline issues due to sabotage and aging, emphasizing the need for urgent rehabilitation or renewal.