Ali Nazir al-Shatari, Deputy Director General of Iraqi state oil marketer Somo says his organization is ready to market Kirkuk oil if Baghdad resumes piped exports to Turkey’s Ceyhan through the KRG’s export link. But, he says that all Iraqi crude sold via Turkey must be marketed by Somo, and that there cannot be a return to the situation where the KRG marketed its output, and Somo marketed North Oil Company’s production.
But in reality that decision is not up to Somo. Should Baghdad and Erbil come to an agreement whereby NOC can export via the KRG’s pipeline, but the KRG continues to independently market its crude, then Somo will have little option. (CONTINUED - 584 WORDS)
