Iraqi Oil Shift: Exports via Turkey Jump 43% as Chevron Signs West Qurna-2 Deal

Iraqi crude oil exports through the Turkish port of Ceyhan reached 500,000 barrels per day, a 43 percent increase from the previous flow of 350,000 barrels, according to a report by the Shafaq News agency. This shift marks the highest volume through the route since operations resumed in September 2025, following a two-and-a-half-year suspension caused by disputes between Baghdad and Erbil over revenue.

The increase comes as the war with Iran, which began in February, forces Iraq to find alternatives to the Strait of Hormuz. Before the conflict, Baghdad exported most of its oil through that chokepoint. Now, approximately 200,000 barrels per day of Basra crude are being moved by tanker trucks from southern Iraq to collection stations at Sarallu and Khurmala, where they enter the northern pipeline system bound for Turkey, OilPrice reported citing a North Oil Company source.

Additional shipments originate from fields in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and Kirkuk. Production from Iraq's southern fields fell by roughly 70 percent in the early weeks of the US-Israeli war on Iran, dropping from 4.3 million barrels per day to 1.3 million barrels per day due to shipping disruptions. Output has since recovered, with crude moving through both Ceyhan and the Strait of Hormuz.

In a separate development, Oil Minister Basim Mohammed Khudair Al-Abadi confirmed on Tuesday that agreements have been reached with the American company Chevron regarding a contract for the West Qurna-2 oil field. The Ministry of Oil announced the conclusion of these agreements in a statement received by the state-run Iraqi News Agency.

The deal replaces Russia's Lukoil, which previously operated the field. The Oil Ministry stated it would support Chevron, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, and other US companies operating in Iraq by addressing obstacles to their investments. The government aims to attract American firms to the oil and gas sectors, draw on their expertise in field development, and expand technology transfer and workforce training.

Iraq has also improvised other export routes. It is moving oil by truck to Syria's Baniyas port via a crossing near Tanf, a remote desert outpost once located near an abandoned US military garrison. Security in that area has held, allowing those exports to continue. Turkey has positioned itself as a stable partner during the regional uncertainty, having already leveraged that status in dealings with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.

The expansion of exports and the new Chevron contract signal a strategic pivot for Baghdad. By deepening cooperation with Western oil companies and strengthening logistics links through Turkey and Syria, Iraq is attempting to reduce its reliance on the Strait of Hormuz and secure new sources of investment and technology.