Iraq resumed Wednesday crude oil exports from Kirkuk oil fields via the Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan after a one-day suspension, a Middle East shipping agent said.
"They restarted the pumping from Kirkuk at 0740 local time today," the agent told Dow Jones Newswires by telephone from Ceyhan. "They are pumping at a rate of 20,000 barrels an hour, or 480,000 barrels a day."
A vessel belonging to Eni S.p.A. (E) was supposed to start loading Kirkuk crude from Ceyhan Wednesday but there wasn't enough crude in storage, the agent said, adding that loading was now expected to start Thursday.
Iraq suspended Tuesday shipments of Kirkuk crude oil into the Turkish Mediterranean export terminal of Ceyhan for unknown reasons.
The northern oil pipeline is the second Iraqi oil export outlet pumping an average of 350,000 barrels a day. Iraq exports the bulk of its crude oil from southern oil terminals at the Persian Gulf, pumping around 1.6 million barrels a day.
Northern Iraq oil flow has been intermittent in recent weeks. Iraqi oil officials had previously blamed the stoppage on power cuts and lack of crude oil production.