Iraq and Syria have agreed to study the potential reactivation of the Banias pipeline to transport Iraqi oil through Syrian territory.
The decision emerged during talks in Baghdad between Hayan Abdul-Ghani Al-Sawad, Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister for Energy Affairs and Minister of Oil, and Syria’s Minister of Energy, Mohammed Bashir.
The two sides agreed to form a joint committee to assess the condition of the pipeline and determine the feasibility of resuming exports, with plans to engage an international consultant to evaluate operational readiness, pumping systems, and the overall viability of rehabilitation.
Al-Sawad said Iraq has made significant progress in gas investment and oil refining and aims to boost export capacities from its southern ports, resume exports via the Turkish pipeline to Ceyhan, and explore routes through the Syrian Banias and Lebanese Tripoli pipelines.
He also referenced the Basra-Haditha pipeline project, expected to have a capacity of 2.25 million barrels, which could secure export volumes through Syria.
The Kirkuk-Baniyas pipeline, built in 1952 to carry crude from Iraq’s Kirkuk fields to the Mediterranean port of Baniyas, has been out of service since 2003 after heavy damage during the US-led invasion of Iraq.
Reviving it could provide Iraq with an alternative route to Mediterranean markets, particularly after a 2023 arbitration ruling closed the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, limiting access to international buyers.
For Syria, reopening the pipeline could generate critical revenue to support reconstruction of its war-torn economy and energy sector.
Analysts note that the move would also reduce Iraq’s reliance on southern Gulf ports near the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic chokepoint whose vulnerability was highlighted during recent regional tensions.
Must Read
- Advertisement -
