oil production down in Iraq. Aim is to reach last years level

[fasgnadh]

"Iraqi output stood at 1.88 million BPD in April,
according to a Reuters survey.

Exports are currently at 1.43 million BDP."

Thats 40% lower than pre-invasion production.

In two years of American occupation production has
never reached pre-war levels.

Even the most rusted on Bush stooges must realise what
that means, after TWO YEARS since the declaration
'Mission Accomplished' They have not been able to
achieve pre-war production, let alone expand production.

It is the failure to secure oil which changed Bush's
timetable for elections, and forced them to revise
their ambitions for pillage.

without oil, the regime is doomed. And they cannot
secure oil with Bush's military strategy,
they will have to negotiate with the insurgency.

"Iraq's new Oil Minister, Ibrahim Bahr al-Uloum, says the country aims
to boost crude exports to 1.75 million barrels per day (BPD), the same
level as a year ago.

He was speaking shortly after Iraq's Parliament approved him as
permanent Oil Minister."

What a co-incidence, he was previously appointed
by the USSA and has been oil Minister since the
Americans installed him. Not much democracy going on.

"Mr Bahr al-Uloum faces the daunting task of boosting production and
exports in an industry plagued by sabotage of pipelines by insurgents
who show no signs of weakening."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200505/s1362659.htm

reuters:

"But the petroleum engineer did not spell out any concrete plans to
reach his goals in a country plagued by sabotage attacks on crude
pipelines and corruption that is endemic in many ministries."

It's a wish and a prayer.

Basically they don't have the means to expand production,
the Viet Cong.. sorry, the islamist insurgents are
capable ofg denying them control of the strategic resource.
Inevatibly the current USSA supported regime will have to
become more iron fisted, just like the old USSA supported
regime.. it will be 'necessary' to crush the resistance..
just as it was with Saddam... and so the wheel turns...

Bahr al-Uloum, the son of a prominent Shi'ite cleric, had served as oil
minister for nine months after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam
Hussein in 2003.

Bahr al-Uloum takes over the oil ministry at a time when insurgents
appear to have regrouped while politicians bickered over forming a
government following Jan. 30 elections.

Any new policies will be set against the backdrop of growing sectarian
tensions as Iraq's new leaders struggle to keep the country united in a
new political landscape."

With oil funds below Saddam levels, and the USSA edging
toward the door.. the current government looks like being
throttled at birth.

"Shi'ites and Kurds are the new powers and once dominant Sunni Arabs
have been sidelined after boycotting the polls or staying away due to
fear of violence.

Over the past 10 days guerrillas have mounted a blitz of attacks,
killing more than 300 people.

Iraq is hoping to resume oil exports through its northern pipeline to
Turkey soon. For now, all its exports are through its southern terminals
on the Gulf.

But even if the oil starts flowing again through a pipeline that has
been rendered idle by bombings for much of the past two years,
insurgents have proven they are capable of striking again at any time
and undermining exports.

Bahr al-Uloum called on the Iraqi people and fledgling security forces
to help improve the oil industry and combat sabotage, which has deprived
Iraq of billions of dollars in crude revenues needed to repair a
battered economy.

"(Higher) production and exports and products can only be achieved with
two conditions," he said.

"First the cooperation of the people and their taking responsibility for
this important oil sector. The other issue is the cooperation of the
security forces in the Interior Ministry and Defense Ministry with the
Oil Ministry."

After the U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein, Iraq had high hopes
of returning to the oil market as a major power after years of United
Nations sanctions that ravaged its energy industry and deprived the
country of an OPEC output quota.

But guerrilla bombings targeting U.S.-led troops and any Iraqi forces
associated with them dashed Iraq's hopes."

There are a lot of dead people for a piddling changing
of the guard, to now face no way forward.

[Flange]

"fasgnadh" <fasg...@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:427E20B2...@yahoo.com.au...

>
>
> "Iraqi output stood at 1.88 million BPD in April,
> according to a Reuters survey.

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