Amman, March 30 – The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources )MEMR) confirmed that Jordan’s imports of Iraqi oil are “not free,” and are conducted under detailed commercial agreements that represent an advanced model of economic cooperation between the two countries, serving mutual interests and enhancing regional integration.
MEMR stated to the Jordan News Agency (Petra) that Jordan purchases Kirkuk crude oil based on the monthly Brent crude benchmark, minus $16 per barrel. This deduction includes the following: $3.4 as a quality differential in favor of the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company, $0.09 inspection fees, $7.75 for the transportation of crude oil from Iraq to the refinery site, and $4.76 in savings realized for the Jordanian treasury.
MEMR added that Jordan is committed to providing tanker trucks for transporting Iraqi crude oil, with half of these tankers being Iraqi and the other half Jordanian, thereby creating job opportunities for hundreds of workers.
MEMR also explained that the cooperation between the two countries provides multiple benefits to the Iraqi side, as Iraqi goods entering through the Port of Aqaba are exempt from 75% of handling fees, with Iraqi importers paying only 25%. In addition, Jordan supplies electricity to Iraq’s Rutba region in the first phase of the interconnection project, with a capacity of 40 megawatts at a voltage level of 132 kV.