Iraq and Syria plan to revive the long abandoned Kirkuk Baniyas pipeline to bypass the Strait of Hormuz
Geopolitical storms often force the search for alternative routes — not only at sea but also in diplomacy and infrastructure. When a narrow strait becomes a hostage to conflict, returning to old routes may be the only way to keep oil flowing. Reviving a pipeline built back in 1952 is not just an engineering project but an attempt to redraw the region's energy map, reducing dependence on waters where each day hangs in the balance between war and peace.
Iraq and Syria plan to revive a long abandoned oil pipeline to transport crude from northern Iraq to Syria's Mediterranean coast, strategically bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, a US official said on Tuesday. The pipeline, built in 1952, runs from Kirkuk in northern Iraq to Baniyas on the Syrian coast, is about 800 kilometres long and has a capacity of 300,000 barrels per day.
It was seriously damaged during the Iran Iraq war and the Iraq war, and has been out of service for many years. According to informed sources, US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack has held talks with Iraqi and Syrian officials, as well as with relevant US companies, to discuss the pipeline's restoration.
Reports indicate that the pipeline's pumping stations and power supply systems are in serious condition and will require extensive repairs, which could take two to three years.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most critical energy chokepoints, through which 20% of global oil and gas flowed before the US Israeli war on Iran began on 28 February. Reviving the Kirkuk Baniyas pipeline would allow Iraq to diversify its export routes and reduce its dependence on the strait, which has repeatedly become a flashpoint for conflict. The talks are being actively supported by the United States, which expects US companies, including Chevron, to participate in the project.
As CCTV+ reports. An official announcement on the project is expected in the coming days following the Iraqi prime minister's meeting with the US president at the White House.
