KIRKUK, Iraq, Feb 24 (AFP) - Iraq is able to resume oil exports through the Turkish port of Ceyhan from its northern fields around Kirkuk but no date has yet been set, an oil source said Thursday.
"Pumping from Kirkuk wells to reservoirs in the Baiji region began Wednesday," an oil source told AFP, referring to the refinery town that is the hub of Iraq's pipeline network.
"The operation is set to accumulate large amounts of crude before pumping them through the main oil pipeline, with a capacity of 400,000 barrels per day, to the Ceyhan terminal.
"Actual pumping towards Turkey depends on a political decision," the source said.
Oil ministry spokesman Assem Jihad said: "No decision has yet been taken on this matter," adding that the pipeline network in the north faced continued sabotage by insurgents.
A pipeline linking Kirkuk with Baiji was attacked on Wednesday, soon after it had been repaired after previous sabotage, causing a fire near the Sunni Arab insurgent stronghold of Hawija.
A gas pipeline linking Kirkuk with power stations in the region was also hit by insurgents on Wednesday, Jihad said.
Kirkuk crude clinched its first post-war term contract in August last year in what was seen as a much needed boost to the country's revenues and a means of alleviating the pressure on export terminals in the Gulf.
But relentless attacks have made it difficult for the State Oil Marketing Organisation to meet its obligations and Iraq could revert to the previous system of sporadically auctioning off reserves stocked at the Ceyhan terminal.
The ministry said on February 17 that Iraq had frozen exports from the north because of repeated insurgent attacks, while exports via southern terminals were proceeding at 1.5 million barrels a day.
Insurgent sabotage has cost Iraq between seven and eight billion dollars in lost revenues since the US-led invasion of March 2003, according to ministry estimates.
02/24/2005 09:57 GMT - AFP