Iraq won the crucial pipeline arbitration, but its prize is less than it hoped
Iraq-Turkey pipeline outlook unclear despite deal
Major issues remain despite agreement between Iraq and Kurdistan
It is a strange victory. Iraq won the crucial pipeline arbitration, but its prize is much less than it hoped. Turkey, which had wanted to compromise, comes out as the enforcer. And despite an apparent breakthrough in talks, the Kurdistan region—not even a party to the case—is the loser on both sides. Back in 2014, the autonomous Kurdistan region, which operates its own petroleum sector despite Baghdad’s claims of supremacy, began exporting oil via a link to the Iraq-Turkey pipeline, originally built in 1976 from Iraq’s Kirkuk fields to Turkey’s Mediterranean port of Ceyhan. In May 2014, Iraq's federal oil ministry filed for arbitration in Paris against Turkey and the country's national pipe
Also in this section
6 February 2026
The long close relationship between key supplier Qatar and pivotal buyer Japan becomes even deeper following new landmark deal
6 February 2026
Partnerships across the LNG value chain have evolved over time, growing in both complexity and importance, according to panellists at LNG2026
6 February 2026
Nigeria's mega-refinery is still trying to solve many challenges, all while its owner talks up expansion
5 February 2026
While broadly supportive of EU efforts to tackle methane emissions, representatives of the gas industry warn it could deter supply contracting if timelines and compliance requirements are not made more pragmatic
