Office of the Iraq Programme Oil for Food

22 March 1999

Oil-for-Food Background Information

Weekly update for 13 to 19 March

In the week from 13 to 19 March, Iraq exported 13.1 million barrels of oil for an estimated revenue of $157 million. Since the beginning of Phase V, which runs from 26 November to 24 May, Iraq has exported 216.5 million barrels of oil for an estimated revenue of $2016 million. This an average of 1.9 million barrels a day and $9.31 a barrel. About 43 per cent of the oil has been exported from Ceyhan in Turkey.

At 1754 local time on Sunday 21 March the flow of oil from Iraq to Ceyhan was interrupted following damage to the 46 inch pipeline in Turkey at a point 112 kilometres from the border. Following interim measures taken by a Turkish repair team, oil resumed flowing on Monday 22 March at 2040 local time. Given the volume of oil in storage at Ceyhan, exports should not be significantly affected.

The oil overseers approved one additional contract for the sale of Iraqi oil. The contract is for the sale of 2,000,000 barrels of Basrah light to a South African company and destined for the far east. The overseers and the Security Council's 661 Committee have now approved 89 contracts for the export of 324.5 million barrels of Iraqi oil (173.9m Basrah Light, 150.6m Kirkuk).

During the past week the 661 Committee approved a further four contracts for $888,239 worth of oil industry spare parts and equipment. The OIP received a further seven contracts. To date the OIP has received 564 contracts with a total value of $295.5 million and 395 contracts worth $237 million have been approved. There are 94 on hold worth $28 million.

In the same period, the Committee approved a further 32 contracts including 29 for the electricity sector and two for water and sanitation supplies using revenue from Phase IV (30 May to 25 November 1998). The total approvals for humanitarian supplies for Phase IV is now 662 contracts worth $1.47 billion.

The Committee also placed 25 contracts on hold under Phase IV. The contracts were for equipment to repair Iraq's power generation facilities and the water and sanitation sector. The value of the contracts was $94.7 million dollars.

So far the OIP has received 511 contracts for humanitarian supplies worth $1.24 billion under Phase V. Of these 252 contracts worth $756.9 million have been approved and 5 worth $1.8 million are on hold.

During the past week, oil spare parts from France and Turkey worth $894,827 arrived in Iraq - the parts were for the repair and maintenance of pipelines, a vacuum pump and air compressors. Other arrivals included nearly 13,000 tonnes of pulses (chick peas, lentils, white beans etc), fifty thousand tonnes of wheat, medical supplies and two ECG machines ordered by the Ministry of Education.

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Produced for media and public information – not an official United Nations Document
For further information please contact Hasmik Egian, OIP - NY, 1.212.963.4341

Oil-for-Food Background Information		Weekly update for 13 to 19 March In the week from 13 to 19 March, Iraq exported 13.1 million barrels of oil for an estimated revenue of $157 million. Since the beginning of Phase V, which runs from 26 November to 24 May, Iraq has exported 216.5 million barrels of oil for an estimated revenue of $2016 million. This an average of 1.9 million barrels a day and $9.31 a barrel. About 43 per cent of the oil has been exported from Ceyhan in Turkey. At 1754 local time on Sunday 21 March the flow of oil from Iraq to Ceyhan was interrupted following damage to the 46 inch pipeline in Turkey at a point 112 kilometres from the border. Following interim measures taken by a Turkish repair team, oil resumed flowing on Monday 22 March at 2040 local time. Given the volume of oil in storage at Ceyhan, exports should not be significantly affected. The oil overseers approved one additional contract for the sale of Iraqi oil. The contract is for the sale of 2,000,000 barrels of Basrah light to a South African company and destined for the far east. The overseers and the Security Council's 661 Committee have now approved 89 contracts for the export of 324.5 million barrels of Iraqi oil (173.9m Basrah Light, 150.6m Kirkuk). During the past week the 661 Committee approved a further four contracts for $888,239 worth of oil industry spare parts and equipment. The OIP received a further seven contracts. To date the OIP has received 564 contracts with a total value of $295.5 million and 395 contracts worth $237 million have been approved. There are 94 on hold worth $28 million. In the same period, the Committee approved a further 32 contracts including 29 for the electricity sector and two for water and sanitation supplies using revenue from Phase IV (30 May to 25 November 1998). The total approvals for humanitarian supplies for Phase IV is now 662 contracts worth $1.47 billion. The Committee also placed 25 contracts on hold under Phase IV. The contracts were for equipment to repair Iraq's power generation facilities and the water and sanitation sector. The value of the contracts was $94.7 million dollars. So far the OIP has received 511 contracts for humanitarian supplies worth $1.24 billion under Phase V. Of these 252 contracts worth $756.9 million have been approved and 5 worth $1.8 million are on hold. During the past week, oil spare parts from France and Turkey worth $894,827 arrived in Iraq - the parts were for the repair and maintenance of pipelines, a vacuum pump and air compressors. Other arrivals included nearly 13,000 tonnes of pulses (chick peas, lentils, white beans etc), fifty thousand tonnes of wheat, medical supplies and two ECG machines ordered by the Ministry of Education.
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