#Iraq #Lebanon, thread about Lebanese delegation visit to #Baghdad today to discuss the controversial issue of Iraq supplying Lebanon with fuel oil. I wrote about it before and will re-up one article at the end.

The Lebanese delegation was headed by Lebanese outgoing energy minister Raymond Ghajar, according to statement from Iraqi oil ministry. Two sides discussed issue of supplying FO to Lebanon in 2021– and this subject was discussed back in summer. See below for background: https://twitter.com/noamraydan/status/1279040927789694976

Lebanese ministry should know that Iraq produces high-sulphur fuel oil. Lebanese ministry officials have said before that #Lebanon takes low sulphur fuel oil for its power plants, less than 1 percent— which is not what Iraq supplies

Iraq has produced an average of 265kbpd of FO since 2009 far in excess of local demand according to 2018 study by Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. And it’s high in sulphur. More below:

Even the gasoil trucks in aid sent from Baghdad to #Lebanon after #Beirut blast could not be used because Iraqi gasoil/diesel has sulphur that ranges from 1.5 to 2.5 percent and this is attributed to Iraq’s refinery setup— I was told months back when was looking into the issue.

Therefore, I hope Lebanese officials will clarify what they are doing exactly. Especially the delegation which visited Baghdad today. Below is the article I wrote in July before the blast. http://www.forbes.com/sites/noamraydan/2020/07/27/does-lebanon-really-need-iranian-or-iraqi-fuel-supplies/amp/

Reminder: this visit comes as Lebanon is supposedly looking for new suppliers given that the so-called Sonatrach contract will allegedly expire by the end of this month. I will have a new piece on this matter soon.