The $4.6 billion project aims to transport 2.25 million barrels per day from Basra to Haditha, then toward Aqaba, using 56-inch diameter pipes.
By bypassing traditional bidding and inviting specialized companies, Iraq seeks to accelerate pipeline construction and reduce reliance on southern ports vulnerable to regional tensions.
The pipeline is central to Iraq's strategy to diversify export routes, mitigate risks from the Strait of Hormuz, and strengthen connections to future international markets, despite ongoing political and infrastructural challenges.
How will a Red Sea oil route for Iraq reshape the geopolitics of the Persian Gulf?
Is building another massive oil pipeline a wise move in an era of global energy transition?
Will Chinese funding for Iraq's pipeline create a new front in its rivalry with the US?
Beyond pipelines, what are Iraq's real options to secure its economy from perpetual conflict?
What security plan can protect a pipeline through Iraq's most historically volatile province?