'Companies selected to transport Iraqi oil pass qualification phase'

AMMAN — The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources on Monday said that the three companies selected to transport crude oil from Iraq to Jordan through tankers had passed the qualification phase of the tender.

In a ministry statement, carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, the ministry said it would next choose the company with the best financial offer.

The tender was related to an agreement signed between the government of Jordan and Iraq to transfer 10,000 barrels of crude oil bought by Jordan at international prices.

The agreement came during a flurry of other proclamations on energy including an announcement by Iraq to begin technical preparations for the extension of an Iraqi oil pipeline — planned to run through the Kingdom with a capacity of 1 million barrels per day.

At the time, Iraqi Oil Minister Thamir Ghadhban voiced his country’s hope that 1 million barrels would be exported per day through the Basra-Aqaba oil pipeline, adding that Iraq had finished all planning preparations for construction.

Amman and Baghdad also recently signed six agreements in the fields of energy, industry, trade, agriculture, transport and ICT, which are pending implementation.

Under these deals, Jordan would lower its fees on Iraqi shipments via the Port of Aqaba and supply Iraq with electricity.

Jordan would also be importing oil from Iraq at standard Brent crude prices minus shipping and transportation costs and deviations in specifications.