Iraq signs deals with Western oil firms, including to revive Syria pipeline
Iraq has signed agreements with Western firms, including Chevron, to reconstruct a major oil pipeline connecting Kirkuk to the Syrian port of Baniyas. This project aims to provide an alternative export route that bypasses the Strait of Hormuz amid regional instability.
Why it matters
This infrastructure project could significantly alter regional energy logistics and reduce reliance on a critical maritime chokepoint currently affected by geopolitical tensions.
Deal with Chevron aims to rebuild a crude oil pipeline that runs from Iraq’s oil-rich Kirkuk to Syria’s Baniyas.
x whatsapp-stroke copylink google Add Al Jazeera on Google info Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi speaks at a US-Iraq business summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, in Washington, DC, on July 17 [Rod Lamkey Jr/AP Photo] By Reuters and The Associated Press Published On 17 Jul 2026 17 Jul 2026 Iraq’s government has struck dozens of agreements with Western oil companies, including to restore an energy supply route Baghdad could use to export its oil without the Strait of Hormuz.
The preliminary deals, signed at a United States-Iraq business summit at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington on Friday, come as Baghdad seeks to move away from dependence on the Strait of Hormuz, where transit has been heavily disrupted due to the US-Israel war against Iran .
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