Iraq unrest: Oil export safe
2004-04-15 11:07
Baghdad - Iraq's oil production and export has not been hurt by the recent unrest in the south, according to the oil ministry.
"Production and export was not impacted by recent clashes in the Shiite southern cities," spokesperson Assem Jihad told AFP on Wednesday.
He said current production is averaging 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd) of which two million bpd were coming from southern oil fields.
Jihad said about 1.7 million bpd were being exported currently, mainly through the south given that northern routes remain out of commission as a result of sabotage over the past year.
He said Iraq remains on target to ramp up its production to three million bpd by the end of 2004.
But on the ground motorists in the southern holy city of Najaf were complaining of a shortage of fuel supplies due to the recent clashes between militia loyal to wanted cleric Moqtada Sadr and coalition troops.
Long queues were seen on Wednesday at the pumps near the city centre.
"Fuel tank drivers are afraid to come here because of the trouble," said Kazem Ali, a resident of Najaf.