Iraq and Jordan have agreed in principle on building a pipeline between both countries to supply Amman with crude oil for the coming decades, officials announced after a visit to Iraq by Jordans prime minister, Samir Rifai.
Iraq's state minister, Ali al-Dabbagh, announced the agreement saying: "Iraq and Jordan agreed in principle to establish an oil pipeline to transport crude oil to Al Zarqa refinery in Jordan," reported Gulf Daily News.
Jordan is looking at ways to address growing domestic energy demand which will see electricity consumption double in the next ten years. Jordan will need to meet 40 to 50 per cent of its energy needs by crude oil by 2020.
At present Iraq transports 10,000 bpd to Jordan via trucks but this system is not proving efficient and if the crude oil could be transferred by a pipeline it would both increase road safety and reduce emissions, said Jordan's former energy minister, Khaled Irani.
This is reason behind Jordan's request for Iraq to gradually increase the quantities of supply to 30,000 bpd which would be best achieved through a pipeline between both countries.
Both countries will also look at the development of the Risha gas on their shared border and there will hopefully be a greater exchange of information in the fields of gas and oil exploration, including tasking joint committees to come up with an action plan in the field of energy.
