Basra-Aqaba Pipeline Project: A Strategic Pillar Facing Security and Financial Challenges

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[size=52]Basra-Aqaba Pipeline Project: A Strategic Pillar Facing Security and Financial Challenges[/size]

[size=45]The Basra-Aqaba pipeline project is a strategic project that aims to transport Iraqi oil from the city of Basra in southern Iraq to the port of Aqaba in Jordan.[/size]
[size=45]This project is of great importance for several reasons:
Diversifying export outlets.
This pipeline allows Iraq to diversify its oil export outlets, reducing its dependence on traditional straits and sea lines, especially in light of the geopolitical tensions in the region.[/size]
[size=45]Increasing export capabilities:
The pipeline is expected to contribute to increasing Iraq’s oil export capabilities, which will enhance the country’s economic revenues and strengthen its position in global oil markets.[/size]
[size=45]Regional Cooperation
This project enhances economic cooperation between Iraq and Jordan, and opens the door to more partnerships and investments between the two countries, which supports stability and development in the region.[/size]
[size=45]However, the project faces some negatives and challenges:
the high cost .
Implementing this project is very expensive, and it may burden the Iraqi budget, especially in light of the economic and financial crises that the country is suffering from.[/size]
[size=45]Environmental concerns:
This pipeline could have negative impacts on the environment, especially if measures are not taken to protect the nature reserves and green spaces it crosses.[/size]
[size=45]Security Risks
Due to the unstable security situation in some areas through which the pipeline passes, the project may be exposed to attacks or sabotage, which increases the challenges of operation and maintenance.[/size]
[size=45]Energy expert Ahmed Al-Ani explains that “the Basra-Aqaba pipeline project is a project to transport oil from Iraq to Jordan, where a pipeline is being built to transport crude oil from the city of Basra in southern Iraq to the port of Aqaba on the Red Sea in Jordan. Despite the expected economic benefits of this project, there are some potential harms and criticisms.”[/size]
[size=45]“The construction and operation of oil pipelines can cause soil and groundwater pollution if the project is not managed properly. Oil leaks may occur, leading to environmental pollution,” he added.[/size]
[size=45]He explains that “since the pipeline passes through areas with unstable security, there are concerns about terrorist or sabotage attacks that may target the pipeline, which increases the risks of investing in the project.”[/size]
[size=45]He added: “The construction of the pipeline could affect the local communities through which it passes, including the possibility of displacement of residents, due to construction projects or damage to their lands.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, “There are those who believe that focusing on oil transport infrastructure may increase reliance on fossil fuels instead of investing in renewable energy sources, which conflicts with global efforts to combat climate change.”[/size]
[size=45]The energy expert confirms that “disputes may arise between Iraq and Jordan regarding the management and operation of the pipeline, and these disputes may complicate relations between the two countries.”[/size]
[size=45]For his part, member of the Parliamentary Oil and Gas Committee, Alaa Sabah Al-Haidari, says, “We cannot accept the export of Iraqi oil to neighboring countries for free, especially Jordan, which includes terrorists and Baathists.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, "The beginning of the Basra-Aqaba oil export pipeline project included Aqaba-Haditha, and then the Turkish port of Ceyhan, i.e. activating the old line for transporting Iraqi oil."[/size]
[size=45]Al-Haidari explains that “there is a popular will in Basra to reject extending the oil pipeline from the governorate towards Aqaba,” noting that “there is continuous follow-up by the Oil and Energy Committee regarding the project.”[/size]
[size=45]In addition, oil expert Sabah Alou says, “The history of the Basra-Aqaba pipeline project goes back to the beginning of the Iran-Iraq war that broke out in 1980, when the Syrian government at the time stopped Iraq’s oil exports via the Mediterranean Sea. Therefore, Iraq was greatly affected by this decision, and it was unable to continue exporting oil via the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. In 1983, Iraq proposed the new project with Jordan.”[/size]
[size=45]He added that “fears of being targeted at the time by the Israeli occupation prompted both sides to abandon the project, so that in 1984 Iraq established two new lines to export oil, through the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and also through the port of Ceyhan in Turkey.”[/size]
[size=45]He explains that “the project returned to the forefront during the government of Nouri al-Maliki, specifically in 2012, when the Iraqi Prime Minister agreed with Jordan to begin implementing this project. The agreement was renewed in 2015, when the Minister of Oil at the time, Adel Abdul Mahdi, visited Jordan and reiterated Iraq’s approval of the project, and announced Egypt’s involvement in it.”[/size]
[size=45]He added, “The project was hindered from proceeding after ISIS entered Iraq and took control of about two-thirds of Iraq’s area, so the project remained on paper, without any implementation on the ground, until Haider al-Abadi’s government came and invited specialized companies to submit their offers to implement the project.”[/size]
[size=45]“The project remained stuck until the government of Adel Abdul Mahdi, who resigned in 2019 due to the October protests, drew a new map for the project and turned it into a tripartite agreement between Baghdad, Amman and Cairo, which was also sought to be achieved by former Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi, who took over the administration of Iraq after the resignation of his predecessor Abdul Mahdi, but the latter was also unable to proceed with the project in a final manner,” he added.[/size]
[size=45]Figures indicate that the total length of the oil pipeline starting from Basra is estimated at 1,700 kilometers, about 690 kilometers of which are inside Jordanian territory.[/size]
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