Months of bitter disputes between the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) and Iraqi authorities over pumping oil from the region look to come to close.
Turkish Energy Minister Taner Yildiz confirmed exports of Iraqi Kurdish oil could begin in May. Turkey has been storing the reserve at Ceyhan on the Mediterranean coast pending a resolution in the bitter dispute.
Oil has not flowed from Iraq to Turkey since the start of April. But the minister confirmed the flow of Iraqi Kurdish oil to his country via a new pipeline had resumed.
Kurdistan stemmed its oil through the Iraqi-controlled pipe to Ceyhan more than a year ago over disputed payments. They have since built their own pipe trucked smaller quantities over the border.
Western oil firms have already set their sights on Kurdistan exports. Earlier this year, former BP boss Tony Hayward’s new firm Genel, which has substantial stake in the region, said they expect oil production revenues from Kurdistan to double once the new pipeway to Turkey was in use.