A senior Iraqi oil official denied Sunday a report that exports of crude from its northern fields were disrupted.
"Exports of Iraqi crude oil via Ceyhan haven't stopped and are not delayed," Falah Alamri, head of the State Oil Marketing Organization, or SOMO, said in a telephone interview from Baghdad.
Alamri said one vessel loaded with Iraqi crude oil Saturday and other vessels are awaiting loading. Reuters reported Friday that exports from the Turkish port could be delayed several days due to payment disputes between Baghdad and Turkish companies.
Iraq is exporting around 400,000 barrels a day from Ceyhan, about a fifth of Iraqi total oil exports.
Alamri said there were some disputes between the oil ministry and some Turkish companies but added that negotiations are ongoing to solve them.
Iraq exports around 1.8 million barrels a day, mostly from its southern oil terminal in the Persian Gulf.