Iraq plans to sell 1.5 million barrels of crude oil from
fields in the south.
Iraqi officials said Baghdad intends to export 1.5 millions barrels
daily from Basra light crude oil. They said the figure was set in contracts
set for 2004.
The officials said Iraq has refurbished most of the oil infrastructure
in Basra that will enable the exports. They said the exports will be sent by
tankers through the Persian Gulf.
Iraq has been unable to export oil from the northern oil fields around
Kirkuk. The pipeline that connects Kirkuk to Turkey has been repeatedly
bombed by Sunni insurgents and officials said they don't expect Iraq to
reach an export level of 2 million barrels per day in 2004.
