Iraq crude oil production up in July as KRG oil trickles back online

Iraq’s nationwide crude production and exports increased in July from the prior month, as fields controlled by the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) saw incremental gains despite the ongoing shutdown of the northern export pipeline.

Production averaged about 4.55 million barrels per day (bpd), up from 4.47 million bpd in June, according to an Iraq Oil Report analysis based on data gathered from producing fields.** About 35,000 bpd of the production increase came from fields managed by the federal government, while KRG production increased by about 40,000 bpd, to roughly 144,000 bpd.

Exports were also up compared to June. With the pipeline system to Turkey’s Ceyhan port offline since late March, all of Iraq’s exports are currently flowing through the Basra Gulf, averaging 3.444 million bpd in July, according to Oil Ministry data.*