Iraq oil output up but sabotage worries US

News, August 2003, www.aljazeerah.info

Jordan Times

Friday-Saturday, August 29-30, 2003

BAGHDAD (Reuters) — Iraq's crude oil production is increasing but the United States is concerned by continuing acts of sabotage, a top US army commander said on Thursday. Army Lt. Gen Ricardo Sanchez, commander of ground forces in Iraq, told a news conference output stood at 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd) as of Wednesday.

Prewar Iraqi production capacity was 2.8 million bpd with export capacity of 2.2 million bpd.

According to oil ministry sources, at least 300,000 bpd of production is being reinjected, mostly in the north which is producing about 500,000bpd, because the Kirkuk export pipeline to Turkey is out of action after sabotage bombings.

Asked whether the sabotage of pipelines was by an organised group or individuals, Sanchez said: "Both of them are a concern. Both of them we are working against. The more disturbing one is the actual sabotage that is occurring out there just to slow down progress and hurt the people."

Sanchez said US troops were conducting patrols along pipelines, including aerial activity, but he added that it would not be possible to protect every inch of Iraq's long, exposed oil pipelines.

Each day that the Kirkuk line is out of action is estimated cost Iraq $7 million a day in lost oil revenues.

Sanchez urged Iraqis to help coalition troops fight the sabotage. "What has to be done is everyone in this country that is committed to the economic prosperity of the country needs to commit themselves to protecting that pipeline," he said.

Earth, a planet hungry for peace

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).

The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03).

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