Exports reverse three-month slide

BASRA - Iraq's oil exports edged upward in September, to 2.542 million barrels per day (bpd), as infrastructure bottlenecks eased slightly and production in Iraq's southern fields continued to increase.

Rising production and exports in Basra have partially compensated for major losses in the north. Since March, Iraq's export pipeline to Turkey has been offline due to constant sabotage and violence; and since June, militants led by the so-called Islamic State (IS) group have conquered territory throughout northern Iraq, taking most northern oil production offline.