Iraq exported 56m barrels of oil last month – ministry

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraq’s oil exports in December 2008 exceeded 56 million barrels worth nearly $2 billion, an official spokesman for Iraq’s oil ministry said on Sunday. “Iraq’s oil exports for the month of December 2008 hit 65.200 million barrels worth $1.943 million at a rate of $34.57 per barrel,” Asim Jihad told IraqiNews.com news agency. “The amount of oil exported from the ports of Basra and Khour al-Amiya reached 43.400 million barrels sold for $1.503 billion,” said Jihad, adding “12.800 million barrels worth $440 million were exported via the Ceyhan port”. He pointed out that this amount of oil was sold to twenty-three companies of Asian, African, European and American nationalities. AmR (P) 1