Türkiye Eyes Enhanced Energy Cooperation with Iraq

Baghdad, The Gulf Observer: Türkiye sees significant potential for deepening energy cooperation with Iraq and is closely monitoring discussions to restart oil flows through the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, a senior Turkish energy official said Saturday.

“Our Kirkuk-Ceyhan Oil Pipeline has been operating since the 1970s. Recently, a resumption of oil flow has been spoken about. We are closely following this with Iraq,” Türkiye’s Deputy Energy and Natural Resources Minister Ahmet Berat Conkar told Anadolu Agency on the sidelines of the Baghdad International Energy Forum.

Highlighting the importance of Turkish-Iraqi energy ties, Conkar said, “They told us that negotiations between international oil companies, the regional [Kurdish Regional Government] administration, and the central [Baghdad] government are nearing a conclusion. God willing, once these issues are resolved, we expect the pipeline to be used at full capacity.”

He noted that cooperation could extend well beyond crude oil, citing ongoing talks on natural gas, electricity, and the Development Road Project, which he described as an emerging energy corridor between the two nations.

“The energy potential with Iraq is much higher than in the past,” Conkar said, stressing that necessary infrastructure projects are underway. He underscored Türkiye’s commitment to making energy cooperation a driver of stability and prosperity in the wider region.

“We are striving to take both the energy transformation and our long-standing relations with Iraq to a new phase,” he added.