Iraq oil production at 1.3 million bpd: source

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Iraq’s oil production has fallen to around 1.3 million barrels per day, an oil ministry source said Tuesday, as regional tensions and disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz continue to impact the country’s exports.

“Currently, oil production in Iraq is approximately 1.3 million barrels daily,” the source told Rudaw.

Before the start of Iran's war with the United States and Israel on February 28, Iraq’s oil production stood at around 4.5 million barrels per day, of which roughly 3.5 million barrels, including the Kurdistan Region’s share, were exported.

Iran on Friday announced the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz after more than a month of closure, before later declaring it shut again, accusing the United States of failing to meet its obligations after US President Donald Trump said a naval blockade would remain in place until a final agreement is reached with Tehran.

The disruption has significantly affected Iraq’s oil exports, with around 90 percent of the country’s shipments typically passing through the strait, making it a critical artery for Iraq’s economy.

In response, Baghdad has sought alternative export routes.

Iraqi crude exports via Syria began by tanker in late March, with around 700 tankers transporting oil daily through the al-Waleed border crossing in Anbar province to Syria’s Baniyas port on the Mediterranean Sea. Iraq has also loaded its first oil tanker for export via Baniyas, Ali Nizar, director general of Iraq’s State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO), announced Friday.

"The oil exported via Syria is not counted on Iraq's oil production share, because it is black oil and that is a petroleum product, and so far crude oil has not been exported to Syria,” the source added Tuesday.