Shaikan crude tankers set sail

Iraqi heavy sour Shaikan crude produced in the semi-autonomous Kurdistan region of Iraq and trucked across the border to Turkey has commenced export from terminals in Turkey.

The tanker Lovina loaded around 26,000 t, or around 200,000 bl of Shaikan crude, from the Delta Rubis terminal at Dortyol, near Ceyhan, at the beginning of March, according to a shipping agent. Tanker tracking indicates the tanker sailed from the terminal around 3 March. It is unclear where it finally discharged.

Shaikan crude was last month excluded from the Kirkuk export blend that is exported through the Iraq-Turkey pipeline to Ceyhan, as part of wider moves to tackle the Kirkuk grade's falling quality, which has included adding gas condensates. Shaikan is a heavy grade — 16-18°API with sulphur content of 4.8pc — and its inclusion can lower Kirkuk crude's quality.

Shaikan field operator Gulf Keystone reiterated on 17 March all Shaikan crude production is being exported by truck — as had also been done previously, prior to it being injected into the pipeline.

The trucks now carrying Shaikan are delivering to facilities at the Delta Rubis terminal. And the Minerva Sophia has been booked provisionally to load a 80,000 t cargo — also thought to be Shaikan crude — on 2-3 April to head to the Mediterranean, likely from the Delta Rubis terminal.

The tanker Naftilos An was booked for prompt loading dates, and loaded around 34,000 t, or around 250,000 bl of Shaikan crude from the Toros terminal near Ceyhan, according to a shipping agent. But this crude is understood to be from storage held previously, although this was not directly confirmed. Tanker tracking indicates the Naftilos An sailed from the Toros terminal around 8 March. The end-destination of the crude was not clear, but shipping lists indicated it would head to Israel.

Shaikan crude is producing at around 38,000 b/d, London-listed Gulf Keystone said on 17 March.