Iraqi Oil Ministry denies accusations of smuggling crude oil

The Iraqi oil ministry, denied, Saturday, the occurrence of smuggling operations in crude oil from the southern ports of the country.

 The MP Sadiq al-Mahna acused the government of smuggling the crude oil from those ports, in a press conference in the House of Representatives, and through a televised program from one of the satellite channels.

For its part, the ministry responded in a statement that it rejects the abuse of Iraqi oil sector by exploiting the media, by some members of the House of Representatives, in launching accusations and unfounded allegations against workers in the oil sector, without realizing the extent of the impact of such claims on the reputation of Iraq, and the investment in the sector, especially after its exceptional achievements, despite the financial, economic and securitychallenges.

"The mentioned deputy can follow the fundamentalist legal ways, either to obtain information or audited or refer the files he owned too the regulatory authorities, or the adoption of mechanisms followed in the parliament, instead of promoting rumors", the ministry statement said.

"We believe that it is not worthy of a representative of the legislative authority in the country to incite citizens against sovereign ministry, the statement added.

On the other hand, Iraqi Oil Minister, Ali Jabar Luaibi, announced, Saturday, that KAR gas plant produced 40 thousand barrels per day for the Ministry of Oil.

Luaibi added that this project is to meet the needs of the provinces of Nineveh, Kirkuk and Diyala, and processing of oil derivatives crisis, as well as cover a large part of the needs of the provinces of the region within the federal government's obligations to the

source : gulfnews