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Iraq is studying a major oil pipeline project linking the southern city hub of Basra to Kirkuk and onward to Turkey and Syria, aiming to reduce its reliance on the strategically sensitive Strait of Hormuz.
Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair said the initiative is part of a long-term strategy to diversify export routes and strengthen national energy security.
Speaking in Washington, he emphasized that Iraq is seeking alternatives to avoid overdependence on a single maritime corridor.
Baghdad has signed a memorandum of understanding with a consortium that includes Chevron, TE Capital, and Qatar-based UCC to carry out feasibility studies for the initiative.
The proposed pipeline would run from Basra to Kirkuk, then extend to the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan—a key export hub for regional crude.
Authorities are also considering a branch toward Baniyas in Syria, home to a major refinery and coastal terminal.
The Baniyas route once served as an endpoint for Iraqi oil exports via an overland pipeline from Kirkuk, but operations have largely stalled due to years of conflict and sanctions in Syria.
As the second-largest producer in OPEC, Iraq has long depended on the Strait of Hormuz for most of its crude shipments.
The new pipeline project, if realized, would offer a critical alternative and enhance the resilience of the country’s export infrastructure amid ongoing regional uncertainties.
