23 December 2009 / TODAY’S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
The Energy Ministry said on Tuesday a shipment of crude oil would be sent to Turkey within a week through the Kirkuk-Yumurtalık oil pipeline, which was damaged by unknown assailants last weekend, causing officials to halt the flow of oil through the line.
“Iraqi executives said the damage could be fixed within five to six days,” officials from the Energy Ministry said. Iraqi Oil Ministry spokesman Assim Jihad said the sabotage at the 55th kilometer marker of the pipeline caused a large oil slick.
The Kirkuk-Yumurtalık oil pipeline connects the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, carrying crude oil to Turkey. The Iraq-Turkey crude oil pipeline was constructed following a deal signed between the two governments in 1973, aiming to ship crude oil from Kirkuk and other production areas to Ceyhan (Yumurtalık). The state-owned Turkish Pipeline Cooperation (BOTAŞ) is responsible for the operation, control and maintenance of the pipeline within Turkey’s borders. There are six pumping stations in Turkey.
