Iraq has formally requested Türkiye to extend the existing Kirkuk-Ceyhan oil pipeline agreement for at least one year, as both sides continue negotiations on a new long-term accord, according to Ali Nizar, head of the State Organization for Marketing of Oil (SOMO), Reuters reported.
Nizar stated that Baghdad submitted the request to Ankara to secure additional time for discussions on a replacement agreement governing the key export route. The current Türkiye-Iraq Crude Oil Pipeline Agreement, which regulates crude exports via the Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline, is set to expire on July 27.
Talks between the two countries are ongoing, with no final agreement reached yet on the new framework.
Meanwhile, Iraq has exported approximately 12 million barrels (mmbbl) of crude oil from its southern ports since the beginning of June, Nizar added, highlighting continued export activity despite uncertainties surrounding the northern pipeline route.
The Kirkuk-Ceyhan pipeline remains a strategic export corridor for Iraqi crude, making the extension request critical to ensuring stable flows while negotiations progress.
This comes as Türkiye has requested to renew and expand energy cooperation with Iraq across oil, gas, petrochemicals, and electricity, and has submitted a draft comprehensive agreement, according to the Iraq News Agency. The move follows Ankara’s decision to terminate existing pipeline agreements effective July 27, 2026, adding urgency to Iraq’s request to extend the current deal.
