Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan have discussed establishing new export routes for Iraqi crude oil and petroleum products via the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea, as Baghdad seeks to diversify its oil transport infrastructure and expand regional energy cooperation.
The discussions took place during the second meeting of the Iraqi working team responsible for monitoring projects under the Iraqi-Jordanian-Egyptian Coordination Council, held via videoconference on November 1, according to a statement from Iraq’s Ministry of Oil published by the Iraqi News Agency (INA).
Ali Ward Hammood, Director General of Iraq’s Oil Projects Company, chaired the meeting, which brought together representatives from the three countries’ relevant government entities.
Participants reviewed the technical and operational aspects of the proposed Basra-Haditha crude oil pipeline, including its diameter, transportation capacity, targeted crude volumes, and potential branches and routes.
The discussions also covered the establishment of new export outlets for Iraqi crude oil and petroleum products through the Red Sea and Mediterranean, alongside proposed storage facilities, refining projects, and a joint petrochemical complex.
The Iraqi Ministry of Oil said the meeting also addressed the crude oil, petroleum products, and feedstock requirements of the proposed petrochemical complex. Egyptian representatives presented several cooperation initiatives, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) projects, while the participants explored opportunities to cooperate in hydrogen production technologies.
Hammood stressed the importance of continuing technical consultations and exchanging information and expertise to advance the proposed projects from the discussion stage towards practical implementation.
According to an earlier statement by the Iraqi Ministry of Oil in May 2026, the project is designed to transport up to 2.5 million barrels per day (b/d) and facilitate exports through three potential routes: Syria’s Banias port, Türkiye’s Ceyhan port, and Jordan’s Aqaba port. The ministry also identified the pipeline as a means of supplying refineries across Iraq.
