Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec.7 / Trend, A.Taghiyeva /
Iraq commissions a new strategic oil pipeline connecting the southern fields of the Basra province with al-Anbar province in the north-west of the country, official representative of the Iraqi Oil Ministry Asym Jihad told Trend on Friday.
According to Jihad, the project implementation cost is $ 450 million. Four compressor stations were created along the oil pipeline, stretching 669 kilometers.
This oil pipeline was created to replace a similar pipeline that was built in 1970's and destroyed during 2003 during the war.
Oil exports from Iraq totaled 2.6 million barrels per day in November this year.
According to BP, Iraq's proven oil reserves amounted to 143.1 billion barrels as of late 2011.
The country ranks third in OPEC after Saudi Arabia and Iran.
BP reported that oil production in Iraq amounted to 2.798 million barrels per day in late 2011.
The major oil fields of Iraq are Rumaila, Zubair, Nahr Umr, Majnoon and West Qurna in the south of the country. About 80 per cent of oil extracted in Iraq is exported.