Storms slice Iraq's Basra oil exports

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BAGHDAD: Oil exports from Iraq's southern Basra terminal dropped to 720,000 barrels per day (bpd) on Saturday due to dust storms and high winds, a shipping source said.

Iraq had been pumping around 2 million bpd on Thursday. A dust storm cut exports to 960,000 barrels on Friday and then to 720,000 on Saturday, the shipper said.

"Dusty weather and high winds made it difficult for some ships to reach berth," the shipper said on condition of anonymity.

Exports from Basra, Iraq's main oil hub tend to fluctuate widely due to weather conditions or technical problems.