Gas Pipeline Blast in Southern Iraq Kills 3, Injures 51
BASRA, Iraq (Reuters) - At least three people were killed and more than 50 injured in a gas pipeline explosion in southern Iraq, police sources said on Saturday.
The military said in a statement that the cause of the blast was not known. It said nine Shi'ite militia fighters were among the wounded and two children had been killed.
Police sources said the blast, near the southern city of Samawa, 270 km (170 miles) south of Baghdad, occurred along a stretch of pipeline that goes near a militia camp. Gas officials said the pipe there had seen leaks in the past.
Firefighters managed to contain the fire after shutting down the gas line, police said.
The oil ministry said in a statement it had sent technical crews to repair the damaged section. Gas flows would resume in the "next hours" via an alternative pipeline, to avoid shortages of supplies to power stations.
An investigation was launched to determine cause of blast, the statement cited Deputy Oil Minister Hamid Younis as saying.
Iraqi energy officials said the domestic line transports gas from some of the southern fields to feed power stations in some southern cities and a key power station near Baghdad.
The explosion has no effect on Iraq’s gas production and processing operations, two gas officials said.
Related News
Related News
- Trump Puts Keystone XL Pipeline Back in Discussion, Though Revival Faces Developer Resistance
- Army Corps Lists Enbridge’s Line 5 as ‘Emergency’ Project Eligible to Bypass Environmental Review
- Missouri Loses Control Over 1.5 Million-Mile Gas Pipeline Network as Feds Step In
- Energy Transfer Wins New York Court Ruling in $150 Million Pipeline Fraud Case
- $3 Billion Natural Gas Pipeline Expansion to Add 1.3 Bcf Capacity in Southeast Region
- Kinder Morgan Approves $1.4 Billion Mississippi Crossing Project to Boost Southeast Gas Supply
- Army Corps Lists Enbridge’s Line 5 as ‘Emergency’ Project Eligible to Bypass Environmental Review
- India’s GAIL Eyes U.S. LNG Deals Following Trump’s Policy Shift
- TC Energy Beats Q4 Profit Estimates, Driven by Mexico Pipelines' Success
- Michigan Court Backs Permits for Enbridge’s Line 5 Pipeline Tunnel Project
Comments