Iraq Turkey Pipeline

AMMAN -(Dow Jones)- Iraq has resumed crude oil flow from the Kirkuk oil fields to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Ceyhan more than a day after it was halted by an explosion on the Turkish leg of the pipeline, but at a reduced rate, a Middle East shipping agent said Thursday.

"They resumed the pumping at 11 p.m. local time (2000 GMT) on Wednesday," the shipping agent told Dow Jones Newswires by telephone from Ceyhan.

Iraq stopped pumping crude from Kirkuk to Ceyhan Tuesday evening due to a blast that ripped open part of the pipeline in Turkey. Government security services have blamed the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, known as the PKK, which is fighhting for autonomous rule in southeastern Turkey.

The agent said pumping was resumed at a reduced rate by using another pipeline running parallel to the damaged one. "The flow is expected to increase gradually to reach its normal level of 432,000 to 480,000 barrels a day," he said.