Pipelines International reported that an estimated 7,000 kilometers of new pipeline will need to be built in Iraq if the country is to meet its target of exporting more than 10 million barrels per day oil by 2017.
Mr David Stanley CEO of Penspen Group underlined the need to repair and reinforce Iraq’s two existing major export routes, the Iraq and Turkey pipeline in the North and Basra Terminal in the South as well as reinforcing the Strategic Pipeline network and building new pipelines to Banias, Aqaba and possibly Yanbu.
The upgrades, extensions and new pipelines required to export the 10 million barrels per day, the Iraqi Government estimates to cost nearly USD 12 billion excluding other supporting infrastructure.
Mr Stanley said that the immediate activities will focus on preventing any further decline in the principal existing pipelines after which a range of options such as additional pumping stations flow enhancement and looping can deliver early capacity growth within the framework of developing the fully upgraded export system.
He said that the most likely constraint on achieving these targets is the availability of adequate numbers of educated and trained oil industry engineers and technicians.