Iraq exports 5 million barrels of oil to the US in a month
The US Energy Information Administration announced on Monday that Iraq’s oil exports to the United States amounted to more than 5 million barrels during May.
The administration stated in a table seen by Shafaq News Agency that “Iraq exported 5.548 million barrels of crude oil to the United States during the month of May, an increase from 4.590 million barrels in April.”
She added, “Iraq exported an average of 152,000 barrels per day of crude oil to the United States during the first week of May, while exports averaged 85,000 barrels per day in the second week, 235,000 barrels per day in the third week, and 214,000 barrels per day in the fourth week.”
The US Energy Information Administration stated that “Iraq ranked sixth among oil-exporting countries to the United States last month, after Canada, which ranked first, followed by Mexico, then Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and Colombia.”
The administration noted that “Iraq ranked second among Arab countries in oil exports to the US, after Saudi Arabia, which topped the list with 11.806 million barrels, followed by Libya in third place with exports of 1.677 million barrels.”
Following the security warning, the US Embassy told Shafaq News: We will continue our work in Baghdad and Erbil.
The US Embassy in Iraq confirmed on Sunday that its operations in Baghdad and the consulate in Erbil would continue, following a warning about the risk of attacks.
An embassy spokesperson told Shafaq News Agency, “On June 11, out of an abundance of caution, US Secretary of State Rubio ordered the withdrawal of non-emergency government employees from the US Embassy in Baghdad and the Consulate General in Erbil.”
“There is no higher priority for the Department than ensuring the safety and security of American citizens inside and outside the country, as well as members of the mission,” he added.
“The United States reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the long-term strategic partnership with Iraq, and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad and Consulate General in Erbil will remain open and continue to work to strengthen this relationship,” he said.
“We are strongly committed to continuing to advance our political priorities in Iraq, supporting Iraqi sovereignty, and engaging in dialogue with Iraqi leaders and the Iraqi people,” he continued.
Earlier on Sunday, the US Embassy in Baghdad issued a security alert warning American citizens of the increased possibility of violence or attacks against its interests in Iraq.
In a statement seen by Shafaq News Agency, the embassy called on all American citizens in Iraq to avoid places frequented by foreigners, as well as large gatherings and crowds.
The embassy affirmed that it will continue to closely monitor the security situation and provide necessary updates as they become available. The US State Department maintains its travel warning for Iraq at Level 4 (Do Not Travel).
Earlier today, Kata’ib Hezbollah in Iraq threatened to target US interests and bases across the region if Washington intervenes militarily in the ongoing war between Iran and Israel. The group also sent a message to the Iraqi government and the Coordination Framework.
Iraq maintains its global ranking in natural resources
Iraq ranked ninth globally among the best natural resources, according to Visual Capitalist, a company that focuses on topics including markets, technology, and energy.
In a report seen by Shafaq News Agency, the company stated that natural resources form the backbone of modern manufacturing and are essential to the production of everything around us.
She added that 10 countries, including Iraq, dominate the global natural resources landscape, each holding vast reserves important for various industries.
The report indicated that Iraq ranked ninth among the world’s countries in terms of the availability of natural resources, estimated at $16 trillion, which include oil and phosphate rocks.
Globally, according to the company, Russia leads the world in natural resources, with an estimated value of $75 trillion, including coal, natural gas, oil, gold, timber, and rare earth minerals. The United States is second, with a value of $45 trillion, including coal, timber, natural gas, gold, and copper.
She continued, “Saudi Arabia came in third with a value of $34 trillion, which includes oil and timber, followed by Canada in fourth place with a value of $33 trillion, which includes oil, uranium, timber, natural gas, and phosphates, followed by Iran in fifth place with a value of $27 trillion, which includes oil and natural gas.”
The company noted in its report that China came in sixth place with a value of $23 trillion, which includes coal, rare earth minerals, and timber. Brazil came in seventh place with a value of $22 trillion, which includes gold, uranium, iron, timber, and oil.
She continued, “Australia came in eighth place with a value of $20 trillion, which includes coal, timber, copper, iron ore, gold, and uranium. Iraq came in ninth place, and Venezuela came in tenth place with a value of $14 trillion, which includes iron, natural gas, and oil.”
Iraq was ranked among the top ten countries with the most valuable natural resource reserves, in terms of the total estimated value over the past four years.
According to a 2024 Statista report, natural resources are the raw inputs used to make everything we use, from intermediate goods to final products. These resources are found in the ground among reserves that have not yet been extracted.
According to Statista estimates, Russia ranked first, with its natural resource reserves estimated at $75 trillion. This amount includes coal, oil, natural gas, gold, timber, and rare earth minerals.
The United States came in second, with an estimated value of $45 trillion in natural resources, nearly 90% of which is timber and coal.
Iraq ranked ninth, boasting $15.9 trillion in natural resources. Its desert terrain contains oil, natural gas, phosphates, and sulfur, according to the website.
Iraq is OPEC’s second-largest producer of crude oil and the world’s fifth-largest producer of proven crude oil reserves. Iraq relies on crude oil exports for a significant portion of its revenue.
