Russia’s Lukoil, through its Swiss trading arm Litasco, this week lifted a 600,000 barrel cargo of Iraqi Kirkuk crude from the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, Reuters reports. This marks the first such shipment since Baghdad resumed use of the route, which is partly controlled by the KRG, last month (MEES, 16 November). Lukoil shipped the cargo to its 320,000 b/d Isab refinery in Sicily on the Rava, which arrived at port on 14 December.

Iraq produces a little less than 350,000 b/d at Kirkuk with most of the crude being refined locally. Restarting export flows via the KRG’s export pipeline was new oil minister Thamir Ghadhban’s first major accomplishment as minister (MEES, 7 December) and helped add 100,000 b/d from Kirkuk where volumes had been shut-in since 2017. (CONTINUED - 127 WORDS)