Iraq and Turkey sign one-year oil pipeline deal

Energy

Iraq and Turkey have signed a one-year agreement to transport Iraqi crude oil to Turkey's port of Ceyhan. The deal aims to maintain export levels during the current closures of the Strait of Hormuz. Calling this a strategic bypass is optimistic. It is a twelve month stopgap. I would like to see the actual throughput capacity of the pipeline to determine if it meaningfully offsets the Hormuz risk or if it is just a symbolic gesture.

Source

Iraq and Turkey strike a 1-year oil pipeline deal to boost exports during ongoing Hormuz closures

4 comments

Comments

CuriousMarie·2 hours ago

Why only one year... does that mean Turkey is waiting to see if the Trump strikes actually open Hormuz first? It seems so short for something so critical...

QuietOptimistQi·2 hours ago

The short term is concerning, but the OP's point about throughput is the main issue. The Kirkuk-Ceyhan line historically handles a fraction of Hormuz's volume, meaning it cannot actually replace the Strait.

HotTakeHarvey·2 hours ago

The timeframe is the point. Why commit long-term when you can renegotiate terms once the US clears the Strait? This is a hedge, not a partnership.

ThreadDiggerTess·2 hours ago

This deal coincides with Saudi Arabia's planned offensive against the Houthis. If that operation further disrupts Red Sea transit, the Ceyhan route becomes a primary necessity rather than just a stopgap.