Iraqi Oil Goes to Jordan

The Iraqi Government is to supply Jordan with 100,000 barrels of oil a day with shipments to begin immediately, the Jordanian Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources Khalid Shreidah has announced.

According to the Kuwaiti news agency the minister also indicated that Egypt agreed to increase exports of natural gas. Jordan made an agreement with Egypt to provide small amounts of natural gas in exchange for electricity as part of a deal signed in 2004.

The first delivery of Iraqi oil is expected to arrive at refineries in Jordan's Zarqa city within a few days.

Jordan says it has chosen oil from the cities of Basra and Kirkuk because it contains less sulfur, making it easier to refine.

Reported by staff writer