Iraq's PM orders oil companies to operate 24/7 to protect exports

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani's office said he ordered oil companies to maintain continuous 24-hour operations to keep production and exports running, citing a decline in Iraqi oil exports linked to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. According to a prime ministerial statement, al-Sudani held a broad meeting at the Oil Ministry to address the impact of the Hormuz disruption and coordinate response measures. The meeting decided to accelerate the renewal of oil transport pipelines and move forward with contracts with international companies for the marketing of Iraqi crude, the statement said. al-Sudani stressed the need to strengthen alternative export routes and said the current crisis should be turned into an opportunity for infrastructure development. Participants included the ministers of finance and oil, the prime minister's office director, and the heads of departments affiliated with the Oil Ministry, according to the statement. The talks reviewed the effect of regional exceptional conditions on exports and examined proposed solutions. The prime minister's office did not provide details on which export routes were under review or when the pipeline renewal work would begin.