Oil meters being installed in Southern Iraq

Maybe somoene is about to uncover even more thievery and corrpution by our oily, slick administration and their pals.

Basra-Meters :: Aswat al Iraq :: Aswat al Iraq:

Basra-Meters
South Oil Company preparing to install meters
By Malek Saadoun

Basra, Jan 14, (VOI) - A South Oil Company official said on Sunday that technicians and engineers of the company are getting ready to install meters at Basra oil terminal, 135 km southwest of Basra city, to measure the amount of exported oil.

'Installation of meters in Basra's oil terminal will take place on Tuesday after all technical procedures were completed,' media director Sallam al-Maksousi told the independent news agency Voices of Iraq (VOI) by telephone.

Exports from the terminal would stop for a few days, but Maksousi said this would not affect the exports rates as the port of Khour al-Amaya would make up for the amounts pumped by Basra terminal.

He said installing these meters was delayed for three years because there was no company to undertake the project due to the security situation, adding that only U.S. company Parsons accepted the project.

A spokesman for the Iraqi oil ministry had earlier said that Basra's oil port would stop exporting oil as of January 14, 2007 for four days due to the installation of oil meters that would accurately determine the exported amount.

Oil expert Jabbar al-Halfi said: 'The oil ministry is the party that should purchase these meters and Iraqi technicians should receive a training course on the use of these meters.'

'Installing these meters is an advanced step in Iraqi oil shipment technology and would put an end for the groundless accusations against South Oil Company of involvement in oil smuggling,' he said