Oil slicks in the Basra Gulf reveal that Iraq’s export ambitions may be putting too much pressure on outdated pipelines. Iraqi Deputy Oil Minister Karim Hattab inspects the Khor al-Amaya Oil Terminal on June 11, 2017. (Source: Iraq Oil Ministry press office) BASRA – Iraq is being forced to limit its oil exports due to extensive delays in maintaining and upgrading outdated infrastructure in Basra. As the country tries to sustain near-record export levels, some pipelines simply cannot handle the pressure and have begun leaking. Iraq Oil Report has directly observed the resulting oil slicks in the Basra Gulf, which are also visible via satellite imagery.