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Iraq intends to invite bids for the construction of a new oil pipeline to Syria after dropping plans to revive an old pipeline, a senior oil official has revealed.
The new pipeline will link oilfields in the Southern Basra province with Haditha city in the Western Al-Anbar governorate, from where it will be extended to Syria, oil ministry undersecretary Basim Khudair said in statements at the weekend.
Khudair told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the new facility will replace an old pipeline that linked Kirkuk fields with the Western Syrian port of Baniyas, adding that the old pipeline has suffered massive damage.
“The ministry will invite bids for the construction of the new pipeline to Syria…it could also be linked to another pipeline to Aqaba in South Jordan,” he said.
Officials said last year the repair of the Kirkuk - Baniyas pipeline could cost at least $8 billion and take a long time.
Iraq’s Zaman Al Wasl news website, citing experts, said the new project could cost nearly $4.5 billion and would be completed within 24-35 months.
Last week, Zawya Projects had reported that Iraq is considering using tanker trucks to export crude oil through Syria and Jordan.
(Writing by N Saeed; Editing by Anoop Menon)
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