The Association of the Petroleum Industry of Kurdistan (APIKUR) in a post on X on May 27 said that they believe tripartite discussions between the federal government of Iraq, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and international oil companies (IOCs) are required to find a mutually beneficial solution to restore oil exports through the Iraq-Turkiye pipeline (ITP).

APIKUR member companies believe tripartite discussions between the Government of Iraq, Kurdistan Regional Government, and IOCs are required to find a mutually beneficial solution to restore oil exports through the Iraq-Türkiye pipeline. #oil

— APIKUR (@apikur_oil) May 27, 2024

APIKUR, which represents several IOCs in the Kurdistan Region, previously underlined that IOCs should receive surety of payment for past and future oil exports and that Baghdad should fully implement the Iraqi federal budget for the KRG.

Read more: Kurdistan Oil Association Urges Washington to Push Baghdad to Resume Oil Exports

On March 25, 2023, independent crude exports from the Kurdistan Region through Turkiye were stopped after an international arbitration in Paris ruled in favor of Baghdad against Ankara, blocking 450,000 barrels per day of crude oil exports.

Read More: U.S. Energy Official Discusses Restoring Kurdish Oil Exports

The ITP has now been closed for over one year, despite negotiations between Ankara, Erbil, and Baghdad.

On May 16, 2024, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Geoffrey Pyatt visited the Kurdistan Region and was welcomed by KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani. 

“We both agreed on the importance of restarting Kurdistan’s oil exports, as their suspension has resulted in significant economic loss for Iraq in general,” Prime Minister Barzani said in a statement during Secretary Pyatt’s visit.

“Ambassador Pyatt’s visits to both Baghdad and Erbil underscore the importance of immediate and cooperative action by all stakeholders to restore exports through the ITP,” APIKUR Spokesperson Myles B. Caggins III said on May 15.