MP Abdul Jabbar proposes 145 km pipeline to boost Basra crude to Ceyhan

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) — Independent MP and Secretary-General of the Fao–Zakho Coalition, Amer Abdul-Jabbar, proposed a plan on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, to construct a 145-kilometer oil pipeline link to transport Basra crude north toward Turkey’s Ceyhan terminal.

Abdul-Jabbar stated via social media that the proposed missing link would instantly increase Iraq’s northern export capacity by 150,000 to 300,000 barrels per day (bpd). To avoid drawing on the federal budget during the ongoing liquidity crisis, he advocated launching a “National Volunteer Effort,” utilizing surplus piping from state-owned enterprises alongside logistical backing from private contractors operating under Ministry of Oil contracts.

Key Technical & Strategy Highlights

• Proposed Pipeline Link: A 145 km strategic bypass connecting southern oilfields in Basra directly to northern export routes toward the Turkish port of Ceyhan.
• Capacity Increase: Designed to boost crude export flows by 150,000 to 300,000 bpd, mitigating bottlenecks caused by Persian Gulf shipping disruptions.
• Zero-Cost Volunteer Framework: Proposed execution via a “National Volunteer Effort” using inventory audits of unused piping across state firms and private sector contractor support.
• Existing Ministry Export Strategy: Complements Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair’s August 9 plan to export 750,000 bpd to Ceyhan via:
  • 450,000 bpd pumped through the Strategic Pipeline after rehabilitating the PS3 pump station in Najaf and K3 in Haditha.
  • 300,000 bpd transported via road tankers (including 200,000 bpd through KAR Group and 100,000 bpd under a secondary contract).
• Long-Term Iraqi-Turkish Energy Framework: Ministry of Oil is finalizing a 1-year interim agreement with Ankara, paving the way for a 10- to 20-year strategic partnership involving Turkish BOTAŞ and BP in developing Kirkuk oilfields.

Abdul-Jabbar’s proposal comes as the Ministry of Oil accelerates alternative land-based export channels to bypass the blocked Strait of Hormuz.

Minister Khudair previously confirmed that Iraq’s State Company for Oil Projects (SCOP) and Turkey’s BOTAŞ are actively inspecting and rehabilitating the northern export system to handle between 500,000 and 750,000 bpd. Implementing the 145 km bypass link could offer Baghdad an immediate, low-cost mechanism to restore crude cash flows while long-term pipeline infrastructure is constructed toward Syria and Jordan.