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Power cut halts Iraq oil exports

BASRA— Iraq’s oil exports were shut down yesterday by a power cut that darkened parts of central and southern Iraq, including the country’s only functioning oil export terminals, Iraqi and foreign oil officials said.

Exports through the country’s other main route, the northern export pipeline to Turkey, have long been halted by incessant sabotage.

Iraqi officials said sabotage was also responsible for yesterday’s blackout, which prevented oil from being pumped into tankers waiting at berths.

A port official and an employee at the South Oil Co., which runs Iraq’s southern oil fields, said pumping stopped at 7 a.m. (0300 GMT) yesterday. Both men spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorised to talk to media. They gave no further details. A tanker agent with a shipping company in Jordan confirmed that exports from southern Iraq had ceased due to the power cut.

Oil terminals have completely stopped exports from Basra and Khor al-Amaya,” said Mohammed Hadi, head of Iraq operations for Norton Lilly International. Both terminals use the same power source.”

Hadi said the shutdown, which costs Iraq some $4.25 million per hour, would probably push up the price of oil while curtailing the chief revenue source for Iraq’s government.

Electricity was cut across Baghdad and many parts of Iraq early yesterday after an attack on a major electricity feeder line between Beiji and the capital. Government spokesman Laith Kubba said on Sunday the attack occurred two days ago.