In January Iraq exported an average of 3.266 million barrels of oil per day. That was the lowest amount since March 2022 when the country exported 3.244 million barrels. Last year Iraq averaged between 3.2-3.3 million barrels so January’s figure was within that range.
Prices actually went up for Iraqi crude from $73.64 per barrel in December to $75.96 in January. That was still far below last year’s average of $95.76. Prices spiked when Russia invaded Ukraine but that has leveled off.
The result was that Iraq earned $7.69 billion in January. That was down from December’s $7.709 billion and far below 2022’s average of $9.63 billion per month.
Oil prices at the start of last year filled Iraq’s coffers with foreign exchange. The new government is eager to spend it by vastly increasing the number of public employees which are used for patronage and theft by the ruling parties. However, Baghdad just increased the value of the dinar against the dollar. Iraq is paid in dollars for its oil so the revaluation will cut into how many dinars Baghdad has to spend. The political parties seem unconcerned. All they know is that oil prices have gone up so they can spend until the oil market drops again and Iraq is thrown into another economic crisis.
Federal Oil Exports, Prices, Revenues 2020-2022
|
Month |
Avg Export (Mil) |
Avg Price |
Earnings (Bil) |
|
Jan 2020 |
3.306 |
$60.14 |
$6.163 |
|
Feb |
3.391 |
$51.37 |
$5.053 |
|
Mar |
3.391 |
$32.73 |
$2.962 |
|
Apr |
3.438 |
$13.80 |
$1.51 |
|
May |
3.212 |
$21.00 |
$2.136 |
|
Jun |
2.816 |
$33.86 |
$2.871 |
|
Jul |
2.763 |
$40.70 |
$3.492 |
|
Aug |
2.597 |
$43.69 |
$3.492 |
|
Sep |
2.613 |
$40.40 |
$3.173 |
|
Oct |
2.876 |
$38.48 |
$3.457 |
|
Nov |
2.709 |
$41.77 |
$3.404 |
|
Dec |
2.846 |
$47.76 |
$4.235 |
|
2020 Avg |
2.996 |
$38.80 |
$3.493 |
|
Jan 2021 |
2.868 |
$53.29 |
$4.765 |
|
Feb |
2.96 |
$60.33 |
$5.013 |
|
Mar |
2.946 |
$63.32 |
$5.787 |
|
Apr |
2.947 |
$62.77 |
$5.549 |
|
May |
2.899 |
$65.84 |
$5.917 |
|
Jun |
2.892 |
$70.77 |
$6.143 |
|
Jul |
2.918 |
$72.00 |
$6.476 |
|
Aug |
3.054 |
$69.01 |
$6.553 |
|
Sep |
3.081 |
$73.32 |
$6.777 |
|
Oct |
3.12 |
$79.27 |
$7.666 |
|
Nov |
3.272 |
$77.33 |
$7.611 |
|
Dec |
3.277 |
$72.80 |
$7.391 |
|
2021 Avg |
3.019 |
$68.33 |
$6.303 |
|
Jan 2022 |
3.203 |
$83.82 |
$8.323 |
|
Feb |
3.314 |
$92.08 |
$8.544 |
|
Mar |
3.244 |
$110.09 |
$10.913 |
|
Apr |
3.38 |
$104.09 |
$10.554 |
|
May |
3.3 |
$111.79 |
$11.44 |
|
Jun |
3.373 |
$113.70 |
$11.505 |
|
Jul |
3.303 |
$103.60 |
$10.608 |
|
Aug |
3.286 |
$96.05 |
$9.784 |
|
Sep |
3.292 |
$89.56 |
$8.845 |
|
Oct |
3.382 |
$88.31 |
$9.258 |
|
Nov |
3.329 |
$82.41 |
$8.23 |
|
Dec |
3.332 |
$73.64 |
$7.709 |
|
2022 Avg |
3.311 |
$95.76 |
$9.63 |
|
Jan |
3.266 |
$75.96 |
$7.69 |
SOURCES
Dourian, Kate, “January oil exports dip as Iraq begins year of OPEC constraints,” Iraq Oil Report, 2/8/23
Lucente, Adam, “Iraq lowers dollar-dinar exchange rate,” Al Monitor, 2/7/23
Al Masalah, “Iraq’s oil revenues exceed $7 billion in January,” 2/1/23
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